Trust Me
by BoomChickaPop
Summary: Lucy was raised to act royally,to behave like a lady. One day,bounty hunters raid her home and kill her family,selling her into slavery. Now she must learn to survive,even if it means going against everything she was brought up to be. Natsu is heir to a powerful gang. When he meets a slave girl,defiant and bold,he starts to realize that he may not be as cruel as he thought. NaLu AU
1. Prologue: A Proposal Turned Disaster

_**Hey Guys, so this is just something that's a little cliche, i know everyone's doing it, but i kind of wanted to put my own twist on it. It starts a little slow at first, but if you read all the way through, i promise you won't regret it.**_

 _ **Also, this will not be a sexual story at all. So if that's why you're here, First, get your mind out of the gutter, Second, i hope you can find it in you to read the story anyway.**_

 _ **No NaLu in the prologue, but I promise I'll have the first chapter up soon.**_

 _ **Rated Teen for mild language and violent depictions.**_

Prologue: A Proposal Turned Disaster

I kept my chin up as the maids bustled around me, tinkering with my dress around my body. Tonight was the large gala ball that my father was holding for the new country club he was opening. As his daughter and heir, I was expected to be there. I understood my duty, and, regardless of how much I wanted to stay in my room and read, I knew I had to attend to support my father. I was his last living relative and so I was expected to be under his thumb all the time.

My maids had picked an exquisite dress and I had to hand it to them. It was an emerald green that was strapless and flowed all the way to the floor, trailing behind me like a wedding gown. The dress was made of smooth velvet and hugged my curves from the chest down. It had a strap of silver beads that went across my waist like a belt, giving it an almost ocean-like feel. I wore a simple pearl necklace and small stud earrings. My hair was pulled back into a neat bun with a silver jewel to hold my hair in place.

"You look stunning, Miss." My maid, Aries said softly.

"Ravishing, Princess." My other maid, Virgo, agreed. I smiled at both of them and took their hands.

"Thanks to you, of course. Thank you both so much for your help. I'll try to sneak in some of those pastries you love so much, Aries." I said fondly. Aries and Virgo giggling, smiling warmly at me. I loved my maids. They were my sole friends in this empty castle of a mansion.

"Don't forget chocolate éclairs, Princess." Virgo said, licking her lips dreamily. I laughed and smiled, showing off my teeth. It was a smile that I rarely showed anyone because it showed too much emotion in my eyes.

I closed my mouth and turned to the door, taking a deep breath. Aries squeezed my hand.

"You'll be fine. I know how nervous you are, but you can be assured that you're ready for this. There's no one better in this world to take your father's place as CEO of Heartfilia Corp." She said softly. I smiled at her and squeezed her hand back.

"Thank you, both of you." I said again. Then I grinned at them, walking to my door. "Wish me luck." With that, I opened the door and walked out of my room and down the winding staircase that led to the ballroom on the first floor of the mansion.

I walked through the archway that led to the grand staircase before the ballroom. A crier called for everyone's attention. I looked over the ballroom to see at least a hundred men and women in their best suits and gowns turned their heads to see the arrival of Miss Lucy Heartfilia. I couldn't see my father yet. He would probably arrive right after me. I lifted my chin and put a polite smile on my face as the crier announced my arrival.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Lucy Heartfilia!" a respectful applause rang out through the ballroom as I walked slowly down the staircase, keeping my head high and taking caution not to tread on my dress.

A young man walked to the bottom and the staircase and smiled up at me, waiting for me to reach the bottom. My escort and companion for the night, Gray Fullbuster, was the son of my father's rival Corp, a fairly nice person but we had nothing in common. Arranged marriages were never outright expressed but Gray and I both knew that as heirs to our Crops, he would have to take the initiative and marry each other even if we had no feelings for each other.

Gray was very handsome, no doubts there, with jet black hair and dark, obsidian eyes. His serious eyes and cool smirk topped off his look. He looked as if he could be a prince. Many people have commented to both of us that together, we looked like a King and Queen. He was wearing a white tuxedo with an emerald green tie and emerald cuffs as well. We had color coordinated to make the date seem official.

I reached the bottom of the staircase and took the arm he held out to me. Soon, everyone's attention was no longer on me and Gray and I could talk quietly to each other.

"You look beautiful, darling." He said softly to me. I smiled politely and nodded my head in thanks.

"And you look very handsome, sir." I replied.

Gray and I walked around the ballroom, greeting various people and answering simple polite questions. This was usually the custom of these events. No one would outright ask us the hard questions because they knew they were wasting their time. Gray and I had been trained at birth to avoid hard questions politely and courteously so as not to offend anyone and not to show anyone else our offense. It was one of the many things we learned as children. Always be one step ahead of your enemy. Always have a plan B. Always keep your dignity and pride. Never lose focus or concentration.

Gray and I soon found a quiet place to rest before the feast. We spoke quietly to each other as people passed us, marveling at young love. Gray and I were experts at putting on an act of love. Gray's hand was always on mine and my eyes never left his for very long. Our conversations were soft and gentle as if we were whispering sweet nothings to each other. We always managed to look into each other's eyes affectionately whenever we were in public.

In private, we were friends. I enjoyed his company well enough. We weren't awkward with each other. But we had nothing in common. There was never a romantic spark between us I didn't think there ever would be. I knew that marrying him wouldn't be so bad because of how well we got along but I was still saddened that I would never get to find love for myself. We were both still too young to consider marriage but my father and his mother were already making up the wedding guest list. We were going to wait until I turned eighteen before we got married. Even though it wasn't displayed as an arranged marriage, this was as arranged as it could get.

"I got you something." Gray said softly. "I wanted to give you some warning before I presented it to you tonight." I pursed my lips as his hand drifted to his pocket. That could only mean one thing.

"Tonight?" I whispered, keeping an affectionate smile on my face. In reality, I was feeling panicky. Gray never warned me about presents he was going to give me. That meant it had to be the one thing we were both putting off. "I'm not eighteen yet." I protested softly. Gray chuckled as if I had something funny.

"My parents are getting antsy. More and more rivalries are popping up in the lower businesses. My mom wants our two corps to become one soon because if they don't, all hell could break loose." He said quietly, brushing a piece of hair out of my eyes. I looked down for a second before lifting my chin and smiling warmly at him.

"I understand, of course. Thank you for warning me." I replied smoothly.

I then realized that Gray's hand was still on my cheek. My eyes darted across the room and I saw our parents watching us. Gray swallowed and I understood. I leaned in closer, letting him know I was ready. He quickly leaned in and gave me a slow kiss before I could change my mind. Our kisses were always pleasant, but they always lacked the spark I wanted to feel. But I understood that this was the best I could have.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please." A crier walked in from the large room where the feast was being held. "Dinner is served."

Gray pulled away and took my hand. He gave me a soft smile and I return it as I took his arm. He escorted me into the dining room and the two of us took our places next to each other towards the head of the table. Gray pulled my seat out for me and I sat down eyeing all the various forks and spoons lined up around the plate in front of me. Gray sat down as my father and his parents walked in behind us. My father took his place at the head of the table and Gray's parents, right across from the two of us.

Once everyone was seated and my father welcomed everyone, the waiters brought in the first plate of food. It was a tomato soup as an appetizer with small loaves of bread to go with it. My kept my hands under the table in my lap until Gray and his parents had already taken their first spoonful. It's what I was always taught. Let your guest have the first bite. Before I could pick up my spoon, however, Gray's mother put hers down to ask me a question.

"So, Lucy, darling, Gray tells me that you enjoy reading." I smiled and gave her a polite nod. She lifted the napkin to her lips daintily, closing her eyes. "I have a lovely book you could borrow. You must visit our mansion one time. We must discuss your favorite titles in greater detail." She said kindly. Gray's mother was more imposing than she looked. She had a small, petite frame with Gray's eyes and hair. But they was definitely the one who pushed us to get married the most. I smiled and nodded.

"Of course, I would like that very much, Mrs. Fullbuster." I said respectfully. She put her napkin back on her lap and shook her head, smiling.

"Oh, come now, darling. I have told you to simply call me Mika. Silver, dear, could you pass me the salt? This soup is a little too bland for my taste." Her husband, Silver Fullbuster, reached over and plucked the salt shaker to give to his wife. He was a tall, burly man with handsome features that out-aged his son's by several years.

Most people wouldn't have caught the implied insult that Mrs. Fullbuster had just thrown out towards me and my father. My hands fisted under the table but I kept a polite smile on my face. Insulting the first plate before the conversation had barely started was a low blow, even for her. What did she want? I studied her face as she innocently sprinkled salt on her soup. My father cleared his throat to speak but Gray cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Heartfilia but I would like to make an announcement that simply can't wait." I gulped hard. He was doing it _now_? Gray stood up and raised his glass of champagne so everyone would turn to look at him. I took a deep breath and clasped my hands in my lap.

"It has been several years now that I have been courting the lovely Lucy Heartfilia. These few years have been the best of my life. I am honored to be in the presence of my family and hers and of course, all of you to witness this special occasion. As the year draws to a close, I have realized something very important." Gray turned to me and reached for my hand. I took it and he lifted me out of my seat until we were standing facing each other in front of everyone.

"Lucy, my dear, I know we are young and this may seem very sudden, but I want you to know that you are the love of my life and I simply cannot go on living a day without you by my side." He held eye contact and lowered himself to one knee. Gasps were heard all around the ballroom as he pulled a small black box out of his pocket and lifted it in front of me. I placed my hands to my mouth, putting on an overwhelmed expression.

"Will you, Lucy Layla Heartfilia, do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he pulled the box open to reveal a white ring with a small beautiful diamond resting in on top. I clutched my heart with one hand and the other over my mouth as I forced tears to well up in my eyes. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mika Fullbuster smirking in triumph. Silver, next to her looked so proud. His expression matched my father's. I knew my duty. I knew my responsibility.

"Yes. Yes, I will." I breathed. Gray smiled and stood up as I pulled him to me for a hug. I buried my head in his chest as he wrapped his strong arms around me. I tried to suppress the real tears of fear and sadness that were threatening to fall.

Cheers and applause rang out through the room as Gray squeezed my shoulders and pushed me away from his chest. I let the tears flow down my cheeks, as if I were crying of joy. He lifted my left hand up and slipped the ring on my finger. He caressed my cheek and lifted my chin to meet his eyes. He gave me a long slow kiss as I heard some people crying and cheering all around me.

Suddenly, the happiness was gone in an instant as a deafening crash drowned out all sounds of joy. All the windows around the dining room crashed and people in black suits burst in, breaking the glass. I jerked down as Gray threw and arm over my head to shield me from the falling glass. We fell to the ground as everyone began to scream in shock and fear. There were at least a dozen men in black who had just entered through the windows. They all held up machine guns.

I gaped in horror as one of them began to shoot into the crowd. Screams of pain and mercy rang through the hall and soon, everything was in chaos. Smoke had appeared out of nowhere so I couldn't see a thing. Gray's arm had left me and I couldn't see him anywhere. I tried to pull myself up but the dress was getting caught in my heels and I couldn't stand. Gunshots rang out everywhere and I could barely make out the chairs in front of me.

Finally, I settled with crawling on all fours. I had to find my father. I managed to crawl to the archway that would lead to the ballroom when someone grabbed the back of my dress and yanked me back.

I shrieked as a man in black grabbed me around my waist and lifted me up and over his shoulder. I screamed for help and pounded his back, angry and terrified all at once. He stood and ran into the ballroom. Suddenly, I could see everything. Dead bodies were scattered everywhere and I could see the crier's jacket covered in blood. I screamed in horror again, tears welling up in my eyes.

The man carrying me ran to a window and grabbed a rope hanging down off the window. I struggled and squirmed, screaming and fighting, pounding his back and flailing my legs. I was doing anything that would get him to let me go. He grunted in frustration and threw me to the floor. I gasped at the impact but pushed myself to a crawling position. I began to crawl away as fast as I could.

Suddenly, the man was over me and he whacked the side of my head with the butt of his gun. I grunted in pain and fell over on my back. My eyes fluttered as another man in black stood next to the one who had hit me. I just managed to hear what he said before the pain in my head caused me to pass out.

"Jude Heartfilia is dead. The mission is complete. Take the girl and deliver her to the client. If anyone tries to stop you, do not hesitate to cut them down."

 _ **I hope you enjoyed! Also quick side-note, If you've read my profile, you'll know that I'm not the biggest fan of NaLu as they are. So if Lucy and Natsu act a little OOC, that's the reason. I'll not to keep them to far out of character, so don't worry there.**_


	2. 1: The Slave Meets Her Master

_**The First bit of NaLu in this chapter! Be warned, it won't be all sunshine and roses. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 1: The Slave Meets Her Master

When I woke up, my hands were bound behind my back with chains. I was lying in a dark prison cell, still in my emerald gown. It was ripped all the way down the leg and the silver belt was half snapped. I had a splitting headache and my shoulders ached. I sat up and moved my hands around, wincing at the sting in my wrists. Then I touched the diamond ring around my finger. I began twisting it around my finger, suddenly feeling an overwhelming wave of sadness.

My father was dead and countless others were too. The attack was so unexpected that I hadn't had the time to process what had really happened. I thought back to what the man in black had said before I blacked out. He said that the mission was complete. Was the mission to kill my father? Was the mission to kidnap me? Or was it both? And why would anyone want to kill my father?

I twisted the ring around my finger again and frowned slightly. Was Gray okay? Did he get out alive, or did he face the same fate as my father? Tears welled up in my eyes but I forced them down. I would not cry here. There was a time to mourn my dead father, but now was not that time. Now I had to figure out how to get out of here.

I looked around the call and saw that it was surrounded on all sides by a thick cement wall. The door to the call was made of hard metal with a small window that was barred with iron as well. I stood up, happy that my legs were chained up as well. I walked over to the door, wincing at the pain in my calf. I peered outside and saw I was in a hallway of sorts with cells just like mine all lined up. I concluded I was in a dungeon.

I turned to look at my cell again and frowned at the damp walls and cracks in the floor. Judging from the water on the walls and the number of cracks in the cement, I knew I was quite deep below the surface of the earth. So deep, in fact, that even if I managed to dig my way out somehow, I would have to climb up for miles before reaching fresh air. This dungeon was build primal for people not to escape.

I sighed helplessly and twisted the ring around my finger some more. I already knew that this would become a nervous habit in the future. If I lived long enough…

Suddenly, the door to my cell clanked open and a man stepped inside with a pile of clothes. He looked at me like I was a new porcelain doll for him to play with, a sick smile on his face. He tossed the clothes to me but they ended up falling to my feet because I couldn't catch them. He beckoned for me to come closer, jingling the keys in front of me. I held my chin up and obeyed, turning around so he could unlock my chains.

"Put the clothes on and then knock on the door. We'll get going from there." With that, slapped my butt as he took the chains off my wrists. I gasped and turned beat red. I was furious. How dare he touch me in such an inappropriate manner? And while I was half naked no less! I whirled around to give him a scolding but he had already left, laughing loudly.

My cheeks continued to burn as I looked at the clothes. There was a white tank top and a white pair of shorts. Nothing else. Both of them were at least two sizes too small and I felt incredibly exposed in the outfit. I left my emerald gown on the floor and kicked my heels off, knowing they would be doing more harm than good at this point. The one thing I kept was my ring. I twisted it around my finger and tried to picture my father's face so I would have the strength to do this.

My hair flowed loosely past my shoulders as I knocked firmly on the door. The door opened and the perverted man grinned at me, shaking the cuffs in my face. I held out my wrists even after her had gestured for me to turn around. I would keep my dignity, so help me. He clicked the cuffs on, licking his lips as his eyes trailed down my chest. I but my lip and forced myself to ignore his patronizing stare. Then he shoved me forward and we walked out of the dungeon in silence.

Before we reached the end, he grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to stop. I held my breath as he raised a blindfold over my eyes. I held my chin up and refused to cower as I could no longer see anything. He grabbed my upper arm and led me along with him. I tried to watch how many steps until we made a turn, but soon, it become too hard for me to keep track. I realized that he was taking me around in circles to throw me off. They were smarter than I realized.

I could hear faint talking as we neared our destination. It sounded like a large crowd. Suddenly, we stopped and the man took off my blindfold. My eyes widened as I realized that we were backstage of an auditorium of sorts. I couldn't see who was on the stage but I could hear people in the seats talking amongst themselves in rapid chatter. Confusion spread through me as I turned to face the man in question. He looked at me and recognized the confusion and fear in my eyes. A look of compassion passed over his face and I felt a pang of guilt for thinking him to be nothing more than a rat.

"I'll give you some advice, but nothing more. Keep quiet, don't speak unless you're asked a question, and do not provoke anyone. It may be the last thing you ever do." My eyes widened as he smiled apologetically at me. He brought me to the curtain that would lead me on the stage and shoved me onto the stage.

I gasped at the blinding light as I heard a voice screaming at me to take the open spot. An open spot? What was he talking about? Once my eyes had gotten used to the light, I saw that I was one of at least a dozen various men and women in the same outfits as me, all standing in a straight line, facing the audience. I noticed an open space towards the center and slowly walked over to it, trying to understand what was happening.

The people in white on the stage were looking at their feet. All of them had pained, saddened, or expressionless looks on their faces. I looked into the audience to see that most of them were men and women in suits and day dresses. They were all looking at us with scrutiny and inquiry. I was still looking around when the voice boomed over speakers again, this time addressed to the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the October Serf Pageant. We have new arrivals from all over the country and new specimens from all classes alike. Please feel free to examine any one of them. Of course, today's priority goes to the Dragon Slayers who were so kind to sponsor this pageant."

I blinked a few time to wrap my head around what was happening. Serfs? As in servants? But he was talking about us like we were furniture. Suddenly, it dawned on me. We were slaves. I was a slave. They had reduced me to becoming a slave. Fury rose in the pit of my stomach but I forced it down, clenching my jaw. I stared straight in front of me, my pride severely injured at the moment. This was inhumane. I couldn't believe slavery still existed in our world.

This would not go unpunished. I made a vow, twisting the ring around my finger. If and when I got out of this, my first priority would be to abolish the slave trade in the black market for good. Even if I had to go through great measures, I would make sure it happened.

 _Natsu_

I waited with the others for our introduction. We got first pick of the slaves, of course, but I wasn't that interested. I had never been interested in slaves. They were a waste of my time. They were either too god at their job and were too boring, or they were too bad at it and were too irritating. I never had an interest in getting a personal slave, unlike the others. Lord Zeref, my adoptive father, and the most powerful gang lord in the country, had several slaves of his own. It was sickening to say the least.

I was his sole relative. I was to become the next gang lord and everything I had been taught was leading me up to that moment. I had advisors and right-hand men that I could even call my friends. We were all in this together. We were going to take up the burden on all of our shoulders, not just mine. I was determined to continue my father's legacy and make the gang as intimidating and powerful as it could be. After all, we aren't called the Dragon Slayer Gang for nothing.

Soon, the MC called us to the stage. My father, who's hair and eyes were opposite of mine, smirked at me and made his way onto the stage, receiving an enormous amount of applause. I waited as he walked around the slaves, examining each one of them. Finally, he picked a brunette on the end. She was small and petite, but she had a curvy body. I could only imagine what he had in store for her.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the son of our esteemed Lord Zeref, and heir to the Dragon Slayer Gang, Natsu Dragneel!" I took a deep breath and walked up onto the stage, receiving a huge amount of applause as well.

I looked down the line of slaves, not impressed by any of them. I walked down the line, eyeing each one of them. I was supposed to put on a good show. It's what the audience wanted, of course. I paused in front of a small strawberry-blond girl who was staring at her feet. I fainted a lunge, stomping my foot in front of her. She flinched and whimpered. I rolled my eyes as the audience laughed. She was pathetic.

I continued down the line until I reached a girl in the middle. She had beach blond hair and wasn't looking at the ground like the others. No, she looked straight ahead with a serenity about her that had me narrowing my eyes. I walked around her, slowly, eyeing her lovely body. She didn't even acknowledge me. She seemed calm enough, staring straight ahead, unblinking. But I could see the tightness of her jaw that told me that she was anything but calm.

I walked around her again and stood directly in front of her. She looked past my face, as if I didn't exist. That made me a little annoyed.

"Look at me, slave" I ordered. Her jaw tightened, but she said nothing. She didn't even flinch. Angrily, I stomped my foot and got right up in her face. "You want to disrespect me, slave? I would advise you to rethink your indifference." I hissed. Her brown eyes flickered to mine for a second before she returned to looking right in front of her.

"I don't respond to that term." She snarled, suddenly. I lifted my chin, narrowing my eyes. I grinned sadistically and lifted my hand, examining my fingernails.

"And what do you respond to, buttercup?" I asked sarcastically. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, I backhanded her across the face with so much force that it knocked her off her feet and she collapsed to the floor.

"Next time you talk back, I'll do more than that, and that's a promise." I hissed as she tried to push herself back up.

Her hair covered her eyes and I was sure that she would be crying right about now. Most of them did, and if they didn't, then it was because they were too busy screaming on the inside. I watched as she slowly stood again, her head ducked down. She raised her chin and looked me directly in the eyes. I was shocked to see that instead of despair, fear, or pain, she just looked defiant.

"I have a name. If you had asked for it, you wouldn't have had to… punish… me." she croaked through gritted teeth. I could tell she wanted to say a hell of a lot more than that but she held it in, looking me directly in the eyes. I smirked, enjoying her stubbornness. She shrugged the pain off like it was nothing. It was impressive.

"What is your name, buttercup?" I whispered. Her eyes fluttered as she lifted her chin and rolled her shoulders back, as if she were full of pride.

"My name is Lucy Heartfilia. I am the daughter of Jude Heartfilia, head of Heartfilia Corps." She said loudly. I smirked, knowing what she was trying to do.

"Trying to draw attention, buttercup? Sorry, but you're in my world now. No one here gives a flying shit about you, and they never will." She kept her expression neutral, but I knew I had hit a nerve. I walked around her again and stopped when I was behind her. I touched her shoulders and she stiffened as I lowered myself to her ear.

"So, Miss Lucy, how would you like to be my personal slave? I've been missing one for a while, and I could use someone like you." I whispered in her ear. I lifted my head and sniffed her hair, amused at the strawberry shampoo. I heard her gulp.

I grinned, loving that she wasn't as pathetic as the others. I had no intention of hurting her or taking advantage of her. But she seemed like she'd make a fine companion. And if she could deal with my threats and whatever I dished out now, then I knew that she would end up dead or worse if she went with anyone else. In a way, I was protecting her. I didn't know why I was, I just knew that without me, she would end up in chains and covered in blood for the rest of her life, however long that would be.

I shoved her forwards and forced her to walk in front of me as the audience cheered for me. Finally, Lord Zeref's son had a personal slave. It was almost unheard of. Everyone knew how cruel I could be and how I refrained from taking out my anger on slaves. But taking one of my own now could only mean that I was getting tired of blowing off steam on my own.

God only knew what I had in store for this buttercup.

 _ **Before you say anything, please don't be mad that he hit her. He kind of explains why he did in this chapter, but he will explain in greater detail later in the story.**_

 _ **Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Leave a review!**_


	3. 2: From Princess to Slave

_**Thanks so much for all your support! I don't know if you know this, but when people review, it really motivates the author into writing faster because they think the people like the story! I'm going to be honest, i like reviews better than Follows and Favorites. Am I the only one? I can't be the only one. Anyway, thanks so much and enjoy!**_

Chapter 2: From Princess to Slave

I couldn't stop my hands from shaking. My body felt like lead as I stared at the ground of the carriage. They had put me in the carriage, locking up my wrists in chains right after that sick son of a bastard 'chose' me. I knew the minute he stomped his foot and got right up in my face that he was going to choose me. I could read his eyes. They wanted a challenge. He was bored and I seemed like a good experiment for him, so naturally, he'd pick me.

There was something off about him. The way he hit me almost felt… restrained… like he could have done a lot worse, but chose not to. He had unnatural salmon-pink hair and intense yellow eyes that reminded me of a salamander's **(A/N: Zing!).** He didn't have the temper I was expecting him to have. I was expecting to be flayed on the spot. In fact, that was my plan.

My plan was to make him so angry with me that he would punish me, and then leave me in the dungeon to rot. Once I was in the dungeon, there were several ways that I could escape, the first one being to seduce the guard, since he liked me so much. Just thinking about that made me cringe, but I knew it was necessary to survive.

I twisted Gray's ring around my finger, wishing for what seemed like the thousandth time that this was all a dream. That I could wake up and Gray would be there, teasing me about my bed head or something. I would marry him a hundred times over if it meant I could get away from this place.

I wasn't alone in the carriage. There were two others with me. A slave girl, like me, sat across from me, her hands clasped in her lap. She had mousy brown hair and eyes sharp like a cat's. Her eyes held an indifference that made me even more horrified than if she had looks scared. Her look told me that she had been in this situation countless times and she was probably born into it. She's never known freedom and she probably doesn't even care about it anymore. This was inhumane. This was _despicable_.

The other person sitting next to me was a man in his late forties, who looked like he was a guard tasked with watching over the new slaves. His hands weren't I chains and he held and gun in his hand, probably instructed to shoot us without hesitation if we showed any sign of resistance.

My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced out the front of the carriage. We were in the slave carriage right behind the main one that held the gang lords. My thoughts drifted to my new master. I was to be the personal slave of the Dragon Slayer Gang's heir. It was almost laughable that Miss Lucy Layla Heartfilia could be reduced to such a state. I had heard of the Dragon Slayer Gang countless times before. My father worked closely with the police to try and apprehend the members of the gang.

That may have been one of the reasons he got himself killed.

I felt tears prick the back of my eyes and a lump form in my throat. I swallowed it painfully and blinked back the tears, refusing to break down now. I twisted the ring around my finger and pictures Gray's face. He would want me to fight on. Even though we were worlds apart and we never thought of one another romantically, he still meant a lot to me and I would do whatever it took to get back to him.

"Engaged?" I looked up, surprised at the small voice that had just piped up. The girl was looking at me sadly, watching as I twisted the ring some more. I paused and pulled my hands apart, clenching them to fists. I nodded softly, not trusting myself to talk at that moment.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. I looked into her eyes, shocked. What was she sorry for? Sorry that I was stolen away from a happy ending? Sorry that I could never get married? Sorry I had to carry this burden with me? Sorry that I still had hope when she had none? I had nothing to say back, but she looked down and didn't say another word. The guard shifted his gun, drawing my attention back. I couldn't be unfocused.

Like my mother taught me, I started to think of all sides of my situation. Yes, I was a slave in the hands of the most powerful gang lord in the land. Yes, there was a very slim chance that I would escape or even survive, for that matter. But could I use this situation to my advantage? If I kept my head down and remained obedient, I could become a shadow. No one would even give me a second glance if I never gave them trouble.

In that regard, there was an advantage. Sabotage and snooping were two things that came to mind. If I could somehow disrupt the functions of the gang, I could help the police on the inside. I could help the police in taking them down if I played my cards right. I just needed to be smart. I needed to remind myself of everything I was ever taught. Always be one step ahead of your enemy. Always have a plan B. never lose focus or concentration.

Suddenly, the carriage jerked to a stop, pulling me out of my thoughts. The guard reached over to us and chained our cuffs to his belt. He roughly pulled the two of us forward, making the slave girl next to me stumble and almost knock me over. We stepped out of the carriage and followed the guard.

I pursed my lips as I turned my head to the front carriage. The pink-haired bastard climbed out, surrounded with his entourage of men and women who looked even bigger and scarier than he did. He turned his head and met my eyes for a split-second. I lifted my chin as he smirked and winked at me. I narrowed my eyes and tore my gaze away from him to see the man that had almost made me wet myself step out of the carriage.

Lord Zeref Dragneel, the most powerful man in the world. His innocent features and calm smile sent chills down my spine. He had given me a look when he passed me and I wanted to collapse before him, begging for mercy. No one had even made me feel that way and I never wanted to feel that way again. He wore black and white robes and gold chain around his neck that screamed dark power. Rumors floated around everywhere about him. They talked about how he had murdered someone in cold blood just because they had breathed the same air as him. He wasn't the leader of the Dragon Slayer Gang for nothing.

He guard yanked on my chain and forced me forward, tearing my gaze away from the monster. We walked down a lawn towards a giant mansion, even bigger than my own. It was an old building, it looked like it had been there for decades. I couldn't tell which part of the country we were so there was no way for me to locate exactly where I was unless I saw a map or something. Not only that, but the mansion was surrounded by a thicket. There was no escaping without getting seriously lost.

The guard led the two of us through a small door to the side of the mansion. The others had entered through the grand double doors that probably led to the main entrance. The guard shoved us into a dark, dusty room. He removed his chains but still left us in cuffs. He pointed us to a room on our left and then turned around and left us on our own.

The girl sighed and walked to the room without saying a word. I pursed my lips and followed her slowly. We entered the room and were greeted by a hallway full of people. I was overwhelmed at how many men and women were bustling around everywhere with various tools, pots, pans, brooms, brushes, towels, trays, everything you could think of. I stared in awe as some of these people were walked faster than others, moving from place to place, almost like a small city in this one room than branched off into all different rooms.

I turned to look at the slave girl but she had disappeared. I pursed my lips and looked around, feeling slightly nauseous. I wasn't used to seeing this many people in one place, moving so quickly. I took a step forward and was immediately shoved backwards, making me fall on my butt. I looked up to see an annoyed girl standing over me.

"Watch it, rat." She snarled before stalking away, her strawberry hair tossed over her shoulder. I pushed myself back up and ribbed my butt that stung from the impact. I looked around, unsure of what to do when someone grabbed my arm. I turned to see it was the slave girl. Her chains were off and she was wearing new clothes.

"Come on, don't look so lost. It's this way." She said softly. I pursed my lips and followed her. She was wearing nothing but a bathrobe and a bra and underwear. I couldn't understand why she was wearing something like that. She led me into one of the rooms on the side and saw that it was a laundry room. She led me over to a pile of clothes and pointed to a pile with a note on it.

 _For Master Natsu's Personal Serf_

Under it was an outfit. It was a simple pair of leather trousers and a white blouse. It was modest and simple and nothing like hers. I looked over at her as she gestures that I should go ahead and change right there. Swallowing my self-consciousness, I quickly changed out of the white tank top and shorts and into the new outfit. As I changed, the girl started to explain some things to me.

"I know you're new, so this is going to take some getting used to. These outfits were picked out by our masters. We are required to wear whatever they desire. Since you and I are personal slaves, we will have our own quarters away from the serf quarters. That hall that we were just in is the slaves' hall. It's where we congregate to get supplies we need for our masters desires. Our meals are also served here but our master's needs take priority over food. If you are needed, a crier will come for you." She paused as I struggled to get the shirt on through my cuffs.

"My master left a key for me to unlock my cuffs but yours didn't so I assume he will unlock them when he feels comfortable that you will not try to escape." I smirked t that statement. _Clever boy_ , I thought.

Once I had finished changing I looked up at her and cringed. Whatever that sick bastard had in store for me was nothing compared to what Lord Zeref had in store for this poor girl. She wasn't wearing anything but her underwear and the robe did not hide it. I felt a pang of sympathy for this girl and boiling anger at Lord Zeref. For anyone to take advantage of a girl against her will was simply vile. I could barely fathom it. I sighed, shaking my head out of my thoughts.

"I'm Lucy. Thank you so much for your help. And I'm sorry." I didn't have to say anything else. She understood. She gave me a soft smile as a crier appeared, calling for Lord Zeref's personal serf. She grasped my hands tightly and looked into my eyes intensely.

"Lucy, you have a fire. You hold no fear. Please don't lose that. This life can change a person drastically. Don't lose hope that one day, you will be with your betrothed again." Her fingers grazed the ring around my fingers as she slinked away, leaving me staring wide-eyed after her.

"Wait! I don't even know your name!" I called after her. She smiled sadly and looked back at me.

"My name is Milliana. Good luck, Lucy." She said softly, before disappearing through the door. I stared after her in shock. That was the first time I had seen any emotion out of anyone here. Everyone held the same indifference, the same irrelevant expression. And now one of them wanted me to continue looking at things with a passion.

"Master Natsu's personal serf is required at this time." The man's voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I walked out of the laundry room, surprised to see everyone had paused and were looking around, confused. I slowly made my way to the front where the crier was and everyone stared at me. Some people gaped at me with astonishment, pity, or even excitement. Confusion passed through me. Was it so weird that I was his personal slave? Were they surprised that he had one?

Before I had the chance to contemplate more, the crier grabbed me by the shoulders and shoved me forward, wrapping a black cloth around my eyes. I frowned, hating the feeling of the blindfold again. He pulled me with him and I felt a strong sense of déjà vu. We climbed several staircases which told me that servants' quarters were much further down than I thought. Finally, we stopped and the crier pulled the cloth away from my eyes.

"These are you quarters. You will wait here and await all further orders. Do not think of escaping out the window. If you try to jump out, you will not die, but I can guarantee you will break both your legs and then some." He said smirking. He shoved me into the room and slammed the door closed, turning the key in the lock.

I sighed, wincing at the sting in my wrists. I looked around at the small room. It wasn't tiny but it was much smaller than my quarters back home. There was a desk and a wardrobe with a mirror and a small bed with linen sheets. The bed was white with orange sheets. I walked to the door on the right and opened it to reveal a small bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower, all orange-themed.

The other door on the left, next to the window caught my attention more. I walked over to it and put my hand on the strangely polished doorknob. I tried to turn it but I found it was locked. I sighed and walked to the bed. It was probably a torture rom or something. I cringed praying to God that it wasn't a torture room.

Right as I sat on the bed, that same door burst open and the pink-haired asshole stormed through, angrily yelling into a phone.

"No, you idiot, they can't know anything or the deal is off! Net time you call me, if I don't get some good news, I will skin you and make you into shoes!" **(A/N: If anyone gets that reference, then you are my friend XD)**

I gulped and clasped my hands in front of me as he angrily hung up the phone and tossed it against the wall. My finger twitched as whirled on me and stared at me wide-eyed, his arms outstretched.

"Why are people such imbeciles?" he asked me, exasperated. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch as I stared at his flustered face and messed up outfit. He sighed when I didn't respond, ribbing his temples. He opened his eyes and looked at me. I felt my heartbeat speed up as his eyes trailed over my body easily. He nodded in satisfaction.

"Yep, I thought you'd look good in that." He said, gesturing to my outfit. I looked down and winced at the sting in my wrists again.

"I'd look even more spectacular if I didn't have these ugly chains weighing me down." I said steadily, realizing that this was the first time I had ever said anything real to him without having to hide my emotions. He looked at me, then at my wrists and narrowed his eyes. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, leaning against the wardrobe.

"Okay, look, buttercup, it's not that I don't want to take them off. Really, they look painful and I'm sorry you have to keep them on. But after what you pulled back at the auction, it's only necessary. If it were up to me, I'd have them off in an instant, but unfortunately, it's up to my father. I may have priority over you, but in reality, he owns you, not me." I stared, shocked. Was this the same person who had so easily hit me only a few hours ago?

"I… understand…" I said softly. "Just one thing…" he looked up at me and smirked.

"What's up, buttercup?" he asked cheekily. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Will you please stop calling me by that stupid nickname?"

 _ **If anyone was wondering what I was talking about with the reference thing, that was a quote from the British TV Show "Sherlock". If you got that, then high-five! I love that show! Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Leave a review!**_


	4. 3: A Slave Hierarchy

_**Hey everyone! Thanks for all your support! Next chapter update is a go!**_

Chapter 3: A Slave Hierarchy

 _Natsu_

"Alright, buttercup, let's lay down some ground rules." I smirked as she narrowed her eyes at me. Her blond hair was still loose and bouncing around her shoulders in loose waves and the blouse I had given her was tight around her chest.

I frowned slightly as I saw the redness around her wrists. I hated leaving the cuffs on for so long. Zeref had suggested it to me and I agreed whole-heartedly. What else could I do? Tell my father that I had no intention of using this girl for any other purpose than companionship and maybe some light chores? Yeah, like I'd ever tell my father that I've gone soft.

"First thing's first. I know this is your first time as a slave, and I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I can't have you bad-mouthing me anymore. I'm sorry for hitting you. Really, I am, but you talked back to me in front of several hundred of the people who follow me. I had to show that I wouldn't tolerate your disrespect. In the future, you'll be with me during meetings and whatnot, and if you bad-mouth me there, I won't have any other choice than to punish you. Am I clear?" I looked directly into her chocolate eyes so she's get the message. I wasn't kidding here. She narrowed her eyes.

"It's all about image isn't it?" she said coolly. I frowned and crossed my arms.

"It's about much more than that, buttercup. Do you understand? I'm mildly okay with you talking back to me in private, but when we're out there, you can't do it. No matter what. Trust me, you don't want to find out what happens." She pursed her lips and nodded slowly. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, next thing for you, buttercup. These are your quarters, no one is allowed to use them but you. The outside door and window will be locked at all times. This is both for you protection and so that you don't try to escape." I grinned as she scowled at me. "My room is just through that door. Most of your chores will be in there. When you're done, if the door is unlocked, that means you're free to roam the halls. I would advise you not to do anything that would be considered suspicious. My father isn't kind to traitors." I was all serious again as I looked her right in the eyes.

"If you're caught doing anything like snooping, stealing, sabotaging, or trying to escape, your fate won't be up to me to decide. You'll be handed over to my father who will hand you over to our Torture Master. You need to understand that forgiveness is not easily dealt out here." She frowned and nodded her head solemnly. I sighed and leaned back, stretching my back.

"Now that we've got some ground rules down, you can start doing your chores. This way, buttercup." I gestured for her to followed and retreated into my room. Before I could, however, she cleared her throat, causing me to stop and look at her. Her face was serene and steady and she didn't look in least bit afraid or unhappy.

"First off, please stop calling me by that nickname. It's degrading and I really don't appreciate it. Second, if you would, I understand why the cuffs must be on outside the rooms, but could you please take them off while we're in the rooms?" she held out her wrists and looked at me expectantly. I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.

"Wow, _two_ requests in fifteen minutes. You must still be used to your old life. I understand you were like a princess weren't you, buttercup? All ready to marry a prince and everything." I gestured to her left hand where the engagement ring rested. I had noticed it immediately and it made me feel strange, like I was ripping her away from her life.

"For your information, _cupcake_ , I was nothing like a princess." She snapped rudely. She scrunched up her nose and looked away. She looked like a little kid who was pouting because she didn't get her favorite dessert. I scoffed at her and started laughing.

"Oh please, don't insult me. You had servants and slaves at your beck and call. You lived in a freaking mansion, for crying out loud. They caught you in a ball gown—Yes, I know about the ball gown— If that doesn't spell princess, I don't know what does." She turned her head and stared at me with intense eyes. I had hit a nerve because her neutral expression was gone and she flared her nostrils angrily.

"Don't you _dare_ pretend to know what my life was like. You have no idea. You think I had slaves? I would never, _ever_ , degrade someone like that. I had maids, yes, but they chose to be there. If they didn't want to be around me, they could have left. They were paid helpers. Their wages were higher than most. Everything you're doing here is appalling. It's despicable for you to allow young girls to be subjugated like this."

She didn't realize it, but with every word she spoke, she had taken a step towards me. Soon, she was right up against my chest, poking me on my sternum hard.

"Men like you make me sick. You should be ashamed of everything you stand for, you disgusting, repulsive, piece of sh—" before she could continue to insult me, I grabbed her wrist and shoved her backwards, not letting go. She let out a gasp when I pressed her against the wall next to window. I pressed her wrist to wall next to her head and bent my own close to hers, all amusement gone.

"I could be like the men you are describing." I hissed softly. She gulped and gaped at me with wide eyes. "I could force you to do things simply for the pleasure of doing them. I could take everything from you including your independence. I am expected to be that man." I bent close to her face and averted my lips to her ear. "I am expected to be the man who rips people apart, man or woman, and not even glance at their shredded bodies." I lifted my head back and looked her right in the eyes.

"For your sake, you're lucky I'm not that man." I whispered sharply. With that, I turned on my heel and exited the room, my ears burning and my blood boiling.

 _Lucy_

As soon as he left, I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding. A shiver passed over my body after he abruptly left me. I swallowed the bile in my throat and forced myself to calm my racing heart. I rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants and stumbled to the bed to sit down. I gripped my head in my hands and tried to make sense of what had just happened.

What did he mean he was _expected_ to be that man? He was heir to a gang, he should be able to do anything he wanted. There was something I wasn't getting. I frowned slightly, realizing the error I had made. I was angry because he had the audacity to pretend to know my life and what I was going through. But didn't I do the same thing just then? I pretended to know him. I put him in a category of wicked men and that wasn't fair of me.

I felt a pang of guilt and I squeezed my eyes shut, rubbing my head. How could I have been so ignorant? He was obviously offended, even more than I was, and I couldn't even apologize. I would apologize to him when he returned. Whenever that would be…

I stood up and made my way into his room. It was smaller than I thought it would be. There were shelves and shelves of books all around the room with a desk piled high with stacks of paper. The king-sized bed was in the middle with the same orange sheets as my own bed. I smiled, concluding that orange was this guy's favorite color. I noticed clothes scattered everywhere. Did this guy even know how to clean up after himself?

Sighing, I began to pick up the articles of clothing, smelling them before deeming them worthy of being placed in the wardrobe. Once all the clean clothes were put away and the dirty one off to separate pile, I began to neaten up his stacks and stacks of books. I couldn't help but peer at some of the pages on his desk as I was tidying up. There were lists of people, sometimes with names crossed out on some of the pages. On others, there were letters from people about incidences involving the gang.

I paused on one sheet of paper with a stamp I knew almost too well. There was coffee spilled all over it, but I could just make out the symbol of a snowflake: the Fullbuster trademark. What was a letter from the Fullbuster's doing on Natsu's desk? I picked up the letter, not being able to make out anything in the letter. I tucked it in my pocket, deep in thought as I continued to tidy up his workspace.

After the desk, I put his books away and made his bed. After I had finished, his room looked much more presentable. If he had given me some cleaning tools, it would have looked better. I figured it was the least I could do after insulting him.

I was brushing my hands on my trousers when someone knocked on the door. I looked up and narrowed my eyes. Hoping to God that it was just a servant or something, I made my way to the door. I slowly opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief when a young girl, about my age, greeted me at the door. She had dark blue hair and even darker blue eyes. She looked shyly up at me through her long eyelashes.

"I'm sorry to bother you. Are you Miss… Buttercup?" she asked timidly. I sighed, closing my eyes in annoyance.

"It's Lucy, actually, but yes. Did Natsu send you?" The girl's eyes widened as I said his name. Was I not allowed to say his first name or something? Maybe I was supposed to put 'Master' in front of it or something.

"Um… yes, he did. He asked me to take you to dinner, and told me to tell you that he would not be back until late this evening." I nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind me. The girl's eyes weren't on my face when I turned to her again. She was staring at my chained wrists. I clenched my fists and twisted the ring around my finger self-consciously.

She looked away, blushing slightly and we started walking down the hall. I realized then that I wasn't being blindfolded. This gave me an opportunity to memorize the castle's halls. I watched carefully as we traveled through hall after hall, going down staircase after staircase. Soon, I lost track of where we were and gave up trying to memorize anything. I looked back at the girl who was staring at her shoes.

"So are you a personal slave, too?" I asked, trying to break the silence. She looked up with wide eyes and shook her head, waving her arms in protest.

"Oh no, of course not. I'm not high enough to be considered for anything like that. I'm a roaming slave. I roam the halls and if any of the master's need something done quickly, they poke their head out the door and get me to do it." She crossed her rams, as if she were tucking herself away. I smiled kindly at her.

"Well, at least that's better than having to do one man's bidding, right?" I asked, trying to cheer her up. She looked at me solemnly, and smiled sadly.

"You really know nothing about how this works do you?" I frowned and tilted my head in question. She sighed. "The masters of this place get bored of their personal slaves sometimes. If they need something new or if they're just in the mood and are too lazy to call their personal slave, they stick their head out the window and call on me. And I have to do it." Her voice quieted to a whisper and she hugged herself with a pained expression. I was appalled.

"That's horrible! I can't believe they would do that to a young, helpless girl. This while system sends me into a fury. If I ever get out of this, you can mark my words I will not rest until slavery is exterminated from this world." I growled, clenching my fists. The girl looked at me in surprise. Then she giggled quietly.

"I can see why Master Natsu left those cuffs on you." She said jokingly. I looked at her and then back down at my wrists and smiled slightly.

"Yeah, he's smarter than he looks, I'll give him that." I said quietly. The girl sighed and uncrossed her arms. When I looked at her, she seemed freer, like whatever I had said had opened her up and pulled her out of her shell. She turned to me and smiled broadly.

"I'm Juvia. It's nice to meet you. I'm really glad you're not like the other personal slaves. They're all a bunch of mean girls. They think they're all that because they were hand-picked by the masters." I frowned as Juvia sighed, looking up. "Personally, I don't see the difference between me and them. We're all slaves in the end, right? None of us has more of a say than the other."

"Wait, you're saying there's some kind of slave hierarchy? As in, there are some slaves that are of a higher class than others? How ridiculous is that?" I asked, staring blankly at her. Juvia giggled.

"There's always going to be hierarchy, no matter where you go." She said matter-of-factly. I pursed my lips and shrugged.

"No arguments there." I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "How did you get here, Juvia?" Juvia's smile faded and she looked at the floor.

"It's a pretty upsetting story. I was abandoned as a child so I was raised in an orphanage. I was adopted into a household to be a maid and a babysitter at age twelve. That family ran out of money so they sold me into slavery when I was fourteen. I've been in and out of slave homes ever since." I pursed my lips and watched as the sadness in her clear blue eyes was pushed away. She gave me cheerful grin.

"Let's not talk about this stuff. We're here!" I sighed as she skipped in front of me and opened the door to the slave hall. We walked in and Juvia led me into a large cafeteria room with tables lined up behind a buffet. It reminded me of a high school cafeteria. Juvia led me into the line, pointing out some of the tables.

"So most of all slaves are here for dinner at the same time the masters are eating. Only a select few are chosen to be waiters or waitresses. You hardly ever see them because they have their own separate quarters. You have your maids, your butlers, your cabin boys, the ones who work outside in the gardens, the ones who works in the stables, and then the roaming slaves, of course." She pointed to a table in the back with a few people already sitting at it. Then she pointed to the table in the middle.

"Then, you have the personal slaves. Those girls are the slaves that were hand-picked by the masters of the gang. I feel bad for them sometimes. They're the ones who get punished the most of all of us. They may act all high and mighty, but they're suffering on the inside." I peered at the table to see several girls there. I even saw Milliana, which brought a smile to my face.

"Oh, look! I know one of them! Milliana!" Milliana turned and saw me. She smiled and stood up, walking over to me. I grasped her hands and started to check all over her body. She was wearing more decent clothes now and she seemed uninjured to the naked eye at least. "Are you okay? How was your first day?" I questioned rapidly. Milliana threw her head back and laughed.

"Oh, Lucy, always the protector. I'm fine, really. Come on, let's sit. Can you get Lucy her food? I want to talk for a bit." Milliana said to Juvia. I didn't even glance over at her as Milliana tugged me with her to sit at her table. I sat down next to Milliana and faced the other girls. There was a tall woman with scarlet red hair and a shorter girl with deep purple hair. The two other girls both had white, short hair and were smiling at me kindly.

"I'm glad you're okay. I was worried about you." I said to Milliana as she sat down. She giggled.

"Of course, you would be. I'm more interested in you. How was your first day as Master Natsu's personal slave?" everyone's heads at the table perked up. Apparently, it really was a strange thing to be Natsu's own slave. He most have never had one of his own before.

That only brought up an even bigger question. Why would he pick e out of any slave he wanted? Was it because I was defiant? Did he enjoy teasing me? Did he enjoy it when I tried to act unfazed by his words? There was still something I didn't know about him and I was determined to find out what is was.

 _ **Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review! It helps me out a lot!**_


	5. 4: Passion Comes With a Price

**Chapter 4 is a go, people! Enjoy!**

Chapter 4: Passion Comes With a Price

"Come on, Lucy, you still haven't said anything? Was he really that bad?" Milliana prodded my shoulder as the others at the table looked at me curiously as well.

"No, he wasn't bad, he was just…" I frowned, searching for the right word. Abrasive? Arrogant? Annoying? All three? "Unpredictable." I settled with. Milliana frowned and touched my face.

"He didn't hit you, did he?" she questioned, grasping my hands and lifting them up. The shackles on my wrists were leaving prominent red marks that I was pretty sure weren't going to fade away very soon. I noticed I wasn't the only one wearing shackles. The scarlet-haired girl was also wearing them. She stared at me through her eyelashes, glancing at my cuffs.

"No, he didn't. I think the auction was just a onetime thing. Hopefully." I said softly. The scarlet-haired girl lifted her head and narrowed her eyes at me.

"What happened at the auction?" She questioned softly. I scratched the back of my head, rubbing my jaw where Natsu had backhanded me. The bruise would be more prominent tomorrow, I was sure of it.

"I gave him some trouble and he hit me to prove a point. He's apologized for it. Even though I still haven't forgiven him." I whispered sharply, looking away. I clenched my fist in anger thinking about the coldness of hit eyes when he backhanded me. "No one should ever hit someone like that for no reason. Violence is never the answer." I whispered softly.

I gritted my teeth, seething in anger. How many other girls had he hit before me? Maybe I had jumped to conclusions before, but that didn't excuse the way he hit me. Even if I was giving him trouble, hitting a girl in chains is not something to be proud of.

"You're a passionate one." The scarlet-haired girl commented. "I just hope you use that temper wisely." I turned to look at her, surprised by her words.

She wasn't looking at me. Her chocolate eyes trained the ground with an emotion in her eyes that I had seen on many of the slaves here, only a whole lot worse. It was then that I noticed all the bruises. My heart caught in my throat as my eyes trailed over her body. Black and blue spots were everywhere and there were several scars on her face and arms. I couldn't see her back, but I could only imagine how many scars were back there. I gaped at her in horror and my anger at Natsu and at everyone here only multiplied.

"Oh, I'm so stupid, I didn't introduce you to anyone!" Milliana said brightly, oblivious to my rage. "So she's Erza and the other three are Kinana, Yukino and Lisanna. We're all personal slaves. Erza is Lord Zeref's personal slave, like me." Milliana bent towards my ear and whispered sharply, "He uses her as his own personal punching bag." I gasped and put a hand to my mouth. Erza didn't look at me. She kept her eyes firmly glued to the ground.

"Why? Why would anyone think that's okay?" I croaked, my voice cracking. Erza let out a humorless chuckle.

"Because I make it fun, that's why. I give him the screams of pain that he enjoys so much, but I also give him the spirit and the fight that makes it challenge for him. If I ever give up, he'll kill me. It's no secret I'm only here because he enjoys the sounds of my screams." Erza's hands clenched to fists. "He's pure evil." She whispered harshly.

"Anyone who thinks it's okay to have slaves is evil, no matter what they've done. Even if Natsu apologized to me, I don't think I'll ever forgive him. When I get out of this, it's going to bring me the most pleasure to slam them all behind bars. Natsu, Zeref and all the other members of this godforsaken gang. They're all monsters, and they always will be." I cursed under my breath. Milliana put her hand on my shoulder.

"Actually, Lucy, they're not all bad. You've only had bad experiences, so I wouldn't expect you to know. The others can tell you. Most of the masters aren't that cruel. They treat us fairly and don't expect too much. They especially don't punish us like Zeref does." She said calmly. I looked up to see the other three girls smiling at me. The one with white hair and blue eyes spoke up.

"I'm Lisanna. My Master is Rogue. He's kind of cool and distant, but he's a sweetie pie once you get under the shadow that hangs around him." She said winking. The other one with white hair and brown hair followed suit.

"I'm Yukino. My master is Sting. He's pretty cocky and abrasive, but he's extremely passionate about his beliefs. If he wasn't in a gang, I know he could have done such amazing things." The third girl with purple hair didn't say anything. She blushed slightly. Milliana giggled and introduced her for her.

"That's Kinana. Her master is Master Cobra." Milliana said cheekily. Kinana blushed harder.

"His name is Erik…" she said quietly. I stared, stunned, as Lisanna laughed and threw her arm around the purple-haired girl.

"Yeah, his name is Eric, and he has a thing for you, doesn't he?" she said laughing. Kinana smiled slightly through her blush. "He's always getting her things and sneaking things for her. And she just basks in it, don't you?" Lisanna said to me. Kinana blushed and shook her head.

"I don't bask in it!" she protested.

"But you have a thing for him too." Yukino said playfully. Kinana didn't answer, and instead looked away, smiling slightly. I stared at the three of them, not understanding any of this.

"How can you all be so jaunty about this? These people have put you in chains. You have probably gone through a hell of a lot more than anyone your age should have to. How can you even start having feelings for any of them? If he really does like you, then why hasn't he set you free? Why are you still in chains while he brings you his pity presents?" I whispered sharply at Kinana. She looked hurt by my words but I didn't care. Milliana put her hand on my shoulder.

"Lucy, I know you still don't understand a lot of what goes on here. We don't belong to our personal masters. Zeref own us and it's up to him to decide whether we're free or not. I'm sure that if the masters wanted it, they would have set us free a long time ago." Milliana explained calmly. I pursed my lips and looked down.

"How many of them are there?" I asked quietly.

"There are seven masters, not including Zeref. Natsu, Sting, Rogue, and Cobra. Those you already know. Then there's Gajeel, he doesn't have a personal slave. There's Laxus, he's usually off on jobs so he's never here, and then finally, there's the one girl, Wendy. She has multiple slaves as well. She's very kind and tries to take in personal slaves to lift their load from their duties. She's the baiter for the gang."

"Baiter?"

"When someone hasn't paid the gang his dues, she goes in and baits him into to going somewhere like an alley or something where the gang takes care of the rest. They beat him up and force him to pay, in blunt words." Milliana explained.

"I don't know if I like the sound of that job." I said, scrunching up my nose. Milliana shrugged.

"Everyone has their own part to play, right?" she said, unbothered. I was about to respond when a tray was placed in front of me with bowl of what looked like flavorless oatmeal.

"There you go, Miss Lucy." I turned to see Juvia, her eyes trained to the ground.

"Juvia! You don't have to call me that! Here, come have a seat." I said, patting the seat next to me. Milliana put her arm out as Juvia hesitated.

"Actually, you would much rather sit over there, wouldn't you?" Milliana said pointedly, giving Juvia a look. Juvia muttered an apology and walked away. Before she would scamper away any further, I stood up and grabbed her arm.

"Um, no, Milliana. Juvia can sit here. She can sit wherever she wants." I said firmly, giving Milliana a hard look. Milliana stared at me in surprise and then sighed, closing her eyes. She gave me a look like she was tired of me not understanding how anything worked.

"Don't give me that look. This whole 'let's kick all the other slaves to the curb because we can' thing shouldn't even be considered. We are _slaves_ , for crying out loud. If we have a personal master or not shouldn't matter. We should be in this together, trying to help each other because that's who we are. This separation is ridiculous and stupid." I said angrily. Suddenly, a wave of nausea passed over me and I had to lean on the table with my arms to keep myself from falling over.

"Lucy? Hey, are you okay?" Juvia grabbed my shoulders as I felt extremely weak and ready to collapse. I think my body was finally crashing from the series of event that had been happening. That, or I was still suffering from the obvious concussion I had received from the man in black hitting me with the butt of his gun.

"Juvia, can you take me back to my quarters? I think I need to lie down." I said, shakily. My head was spinning and my legs were trembling. I needed to lie down as soon as I could. Juvia put my arm around her shoulder to support me and walked me out of the slave hall. I tried to keep conscious as Juvia whispered things to me, walking fast.

When we reached Natsu's room, Juvia kicked the door open and rushed me over to the first bed she could see. She lay me down on the bed and pulled up the surprisingly warm sheets over me. My eyes fluttered as she tilted a glass of water against my lips. I managed to take a few sips before darkness swallowed me whole.

 _Natsu_

I was sitting at the head of the conference table. I and all six of my brothers and sisters were in the other seats. I called them my brothers and sisters, but they were really just my advisors. I had hand-picked them when I was only twelve. Lord Zeref told me that I needed to trust them with my life, so he got me exposed to them at an early age.

We were all approximately the same age, with Laxus as the oldest. He was 23 and Cobra right under him at 21. Gajeel, Sting, and Rogue were all 19. I was the only 18-year old, only a year older than the youngest, Wendy, at 17. I trusted them all with my life. We had done countless jobs together and we knew each other like the backs of our own hands. Sometimes, like now, that wasn't always a good thing.

"Damnit, Cobra, you said the package was arriving today!" Gajeel bellowed. Cobra slammed his hands on the table and stood up, his sangria eyes flashing in anger.

"Maybe if you hadn't given me the wrong order to begin with, I would have gotten you the right package! Don't blame your problem on me, Gajeel." He hissed in response. Gajeel stood up aggressively, his huge body rocking the table. The two of them glared at each other from across the table. Sting stood up, with a smirk on his face, and put his hand up.

"Okay, guys, let's all just calm down. It's not anyone's fault as much as it's everyone's fault. I think it was pretty dumb to let you two dunderheads deal with the package in the first place." He sneered. Gajeel and Cobra both gave him dark stares.

"What'd you say, punk?" Gajeel snarled. Sting stuffed his hands in his pockets and grinned, licking his lips.

"You heard me, metal head." He responded smoothly. Gajeel lunged across the table, his arms aimed at Sting's throat. Before he could, Laxus, who was sitting in between the two of them, grabbed Gajeel arm and yanked him back, roughly throwing him back in his seat.

"Sit down, all of you. If one of you so much as breathes wrong, I will not hesitate to crush your spines. Am I clear? Cobra, _sit down_." He growled menacingly. Cobra slowly sat down as Sting and Gajeel did the same, angrily scowling at the ground. I rubbed my temples as Rogue just looked bored. Wendy had her legs kicked up on the table and she was inspecting her fingernails.

"And we call ourselves the strongest gang?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Everyone was silent as I stood up, slowly, annoyed at all of them for being such idiots. "Some future our gang has, with its future leaders squabbling over the stupidest things. You all know I'm up for a good brawl, but this is ridiculous. That package mix-up is not something we can take lightly. Now that it won't be here for another day or so, we have to—"

"Master Natsu!" A slave burst through the door, out of breath, cutting off my sentence. I recognized her as the roaming slave I had sent to take care of buttercup's dinner. I lifted my chin as she realized that she had interrupted a meeting.

"I'm s-so sorry, sir, I j-just thought you should know. Miss Lucy is not feeling well. She has a fever and she nearly passed out at dinner tonight, sir." She said softly, looking down. Her blue locks were disheveled and matted. She looked like she'd been running around all over the place. A twinge of fear panged in my stomach as I thought about buttercup. Had I really hit her that hard? I had tried to restrain myself a bit, but maybe I hadn't realized how hard I really hit her.

"You want me to look at her?" I looked over to see Wendy standing up. "I can see if she really needs treatment." I shook my head and moved my seat back, steeping out of the table.

"That won't be necessary. I'm sure she's just overreacting. I'll check up on her." I made my way to the door, where the slave was waiting. I paused and turned to face the room. "This conflict better be resolved by the time I get back. Laxus, you're in charge." Ignoring the protests and calls of anger behind me, I pushed the slave out and shut the door behind me.

"What happened?" I demanded, once we were out of earshot. The girl trembled as she fumbled to find the right words.

"S-she was angry at the table. She started t-to make a speech and then she… she fell over. I helped her b-back to the room and put her in bed, but I w-wasn't sure what else to do. She's passed out right now."

We reached my room and I threw the door open. She was curled under the sheets in my bed, sweating profusely. I walked over to her and put my hand to her forehead. She was burning up. Taking no time at all, I went into the bathroom and ran a small towel under the sink. I came back and folded the damp towel on her forehead. I reached under the sheets and lifted her arms out to lay in the open.

She inhaled sharply, but didn't wake up as I fished in my pocket for the keys to her cuffs. When I found them, I sharply removed them and threw the cuffs aside. I folded her arms across her chest and walked back into the bathroom. I reached in my cabinet for some pain medication and fever medication. I took the pills out of their bottles and filled up a glass of water. I walked back over to her and placed the pills and water next to her head on the bedside table.

I grabbed some ointment I used for burns and irritated skin off my dresser and put it next to the pills. I scribbled a note on a small sheet of paper and placed it on the ointment. I stepped back and watched her as she slept peacefully. Well, I shouldn't say peacefully. She was fidgeting and squirming and her eyebrows were furrowed. But I knew there was nothing more I could do. When she woke up, she'd see the pills and ointment and she'd take them.

I turned around and dismissed the small, blue-haired slave before exiting the room myself. As much as I wanted to stay and watch over her, I knew that I still had work to do. My night wasn't over yet.

 _ **So you got a taste of what life is like in the Dragon Slayer Gang. I hope you liked it! Leave a review!**_


	6. 5: Something Hidden There

**_Welcome back! I love reading all your lovely reviews! Enjoy!_**

Chapter 5: Something Hidden There

 _Lucy_

I woke up with a splitting headache. Rolling over and groaning, I shielded my eyes from the sunlight through the window. Confusion passed through me as I tried to remember what had happened. I rested one arm above my head and the other on my stomach, feeling strangely liberated for some reason.

Realization hit me hard as I lifted my hand up I front of my face. The cuffs were no longer there. Confusion and surprise filled me as I tried to sit up too sharply, causing my head the pound against my skull. I clutched my forehead as I peered around the room. I recognized the bed I was in as Natsu's bed, not the one I was assigned to.

I gasped as I realized I was in Natsu's room altogether. I looked beside me and saw four pills sitting next to a glass of water. Not really thinking, I gulped the pills down and chugged the water. Honestly I would have taken anything at this point if it meant my head would stop hurting. I placed the glass back down and noticed a small bottle with a note on top of it. I picked the bottle up and saw that it was some kind of ointment. I read the note and smiled slightly.

 _Apply to wrists generously—N._

I glanced at my wrists and noticed he was right to give me this stuff. My wrists were a deep shade of magenta and it seemed like a rash was forming from the molding of the cuffs. I applied the ointment to my wrists and breathed a sigh of relief as I felt immediately better. I paused, setting the ointment back.

Had Natsu done all this for me? I barely remember passing out, but I was pretty sure it was from the mild concussion I received from the man in black hitting me with his gun. I frowned, thinking about why he would do this for me. I was his slave, a worthless piece of trash in his eyes. He couldn't even call me by my own name. Why would this gang lord even dream of helping me? If I was back in my own household, I would be asking why he did help me _more_. It was funny how that worked.

I threw my legs over the bed and stood up, feeling slightly lightheaded when I did. I heard the sound of running water coming from Natsu's bathroom. So as not to disturb him, I hobbled over to my own room. Before I could open the door, however, the door the Natsu's bathroom flew open and a gust of steam dispersed out, causing me to blink slightly.

When the steam cleared, my eyes widened as a naked Natsu exited the bathroom, one towel around his lower half and the other he was using to dry his hair. I felt a hot blush rise to my cheeks as he peered over at me with a mischievous smirk.

"I see you're finally awake." He said cheekily. I gulped and tried to draw my eyes away from his perfectly sculpted chest. I crossed my arms and turned away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." I began, not entirely sure of what I was saying. God, I needed to get a grip. He wasn't _that_ good-looking. When I peered at him again, I had to contradict that statement. To hell with that, he was _really_ good-looking. My eyes lingered on his abs for a second too long before he turned towards me and grinned, tossing the towel he was using for his hair aside.

"You're not intruding, buttercup. In fact, could you intrude more? That blush on your face is just too cute." He took a few steps closer to me. "Do I make you nervous, buttercup?" I felt my cheeks burn even more and turned to face him square on. He closed the distance between us to a mere six inches before I spoke again.

"Oh please, _cupcake_ , you would only make me nervous when pigs fly." I snapped, looking straight at his intense yellow-green eyes. I was surprised how calm my voice came out. But then I remind myself of who I was. I was Lucy Layla Heartfilia, daughter of Jude and Layla Heartfilia. I would never let a nice body distract me from anything.

"You can put on a shirt now, cupcake. Your mediocre body is already too boring for me." I sneered, smirking. Natsu's eyes widened and he took a surprised step backwards.

"What was that?" he whispered menacingly. I gave him an innocent smile and put my hand on the doorknob.

"Did I stutter?" His eyes flashed as I opened the door. "Excuse me." I said smoothly before backing into my room and shutting the door behind me.

I leaned my back against the closed door and let out a long breath, allowing the blush to rise to my cheeks again. I kept reminding myself that I was only human. Any girl standing that close to an attractive young man would have reacted the same way. My legs felt like jelly and my heart was pounding against my chest. I did notice, however, that my head and wrists had stopped hurting. I couldn't tell if it was because of the medication or because I was so distracted.

An image of his dripping chest flashed in my head and I took in a sharp breath, shaking my head. I needed to get my mind out of the gutter. I tried to convince myself that it could have been anyone standing there. It could have been Gray himself, who I knew for a fact was incredibly toned, and I would have still reacted the same way.

It wasn't the way he had taken care of me the night before, or the way he cheekily grinned at me and called me by that infernal nickname. No, it definitely wasn't that. Only a day ago, he had hit me with no remorse. Only yesterday, he had shown me a world where people's opinions and voices didn't matter. Only yesterday he proved to me that there was nothing worth saving in him.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself off from against the door. I held my head high and pushed all conflicting thoughts out of my head. I felt disgusting, and I knew I would feel better if I went and took a shower. I walked into my bathroom, noting that it was a lot smaller than Natsu's, and turned the water all the way up to the hottest setting. I went to the wardrobe to look for clothes while the water was warming. I pulled out a black blouse and a long red skirt with a white apron and took it with me to the bathroom.

When the water was warm enough, I stepped in and sighed. This had been the first time in a while that I had taken a nice hot shower. Normally, I was used to baths with calming scent candles, but I knew it would be a long time before I got back to those, if I ever did. I started to scrub my body with the bar of soap that I found. I started to think about my conversation with Milliana and the others.

Was it true that I was judging the seven masters too harshly? Maybe chivalry wasn't dead even with gang lords. I categorized them all as heartless monsters. But maybe the only monster was Zeref himself. I had heard from my father's sources that Zeref was only fifteen when he started the gang. He was now much older, but he still looked as young as a teenager. How that was possible, I still wasn't sure. He had such an innocent face, a calm and serene expression. That's what made him all the more terrifying.

Images of Erza's scars and bruises popped up in my head and I squeezed the bar of soap hard enough that it slipped out of my hand and thudded to the bottom of the shower. Images of his snide expression when he selected Milliana at the auction flashed in my head and made me want to throw up all over again. He was a sick, sadistic bastard who didn't deserve to live.

I gasped slightly, realizing that I was wishing death on someone. I had once cursed death's name. I had once said that no person deserved death, no matter what they'd done. When my mother died, all I wanted was death to reverse its curse and bring her back. Did I still believe that now? After everything I had seen, could I really still see the good in everyone?

My father once said that one of my most redeeming qualities that reminded him of my mother was my ability to see the positive side of everything. I saw the good in everything. In my seemingly hopeless situation where I would never be able to find love, I saw it as a good thing. Our company would be stronger, Gray and I would be together as friends, best friends even. But now, now it felt like I couldn't see the good in anything. I was angry and scared. I felt like a cornered prey. And I still didn't know who had killed my father. I didn't know who wanted him dead or who wanted to sell me into slavery.

I stepped out of the shower and changed quickly, finger-combing the wet curls of my hair. I tied my hair into a low bun and exited the bathroom. I passed as I heard a raised voice coming from Natsu's room. I inched toward the door and pressed my ear to the keyhole, listening intently to Natsu's enraged voice.

"That letter had the agreement that would seal the deal. If it's lost, then we have nothing to bind them. Do you have any idea what kind of toll this will bring on us? No! I don't want to hear it! I'm coming down there, and when I get down there you better have something good for me or I will carry out my threats." I heard an angry thump, which told me that he had slammed his fist on his desk.

"Buttercup!" He shrieked, causing me to jump backwards and land on my butt. "I'm going out! Your chores list is on my desk! I'll be back in an hour!" With that, I heard the loud sounds of footsteps and the sound of the door slamming. Cautiously, I opened the door to Natsu's room and saw that he had gone. I walked over to the door and shook the doorknob, annoyed when I saw it was locked.

I turned around and walked over to his desk, picking up the list. From his list, I only needed to clean his bathroom and then start organizing his stacks and stacks of books. I sighed, happy that I knew how to do chores. I was happy at that moment that I wasn't raised to be a spoiled princess like he thought I was. I walked into the bathroom and grabbed the tools he gave me, getting to work. It only took me twenty minutes to finish the whole bathroom. I was surprised how clean he kept it.

I walked out of the bathroom and glanced at the note he left me. He wanted them all in alphabetical order because he was having trouble finding the books he wanted. I grabbed a big stack of books from one his shelves and plopped them on his bad. I climbed up on the bed and got to work, organizing them first by tittle, then by author. Some of the titles, I recognized and some I had never seen before.

I picked up a book about the lore of dragons and where they came from. I grinned, thinking about Natsu's favorite color. It would only make sense that his favorite animal was the dragon too. I opened the book and began to read some of the chapters in it. It was all fascinating to me.

 _Dragons were once considered to be snake-like reptiles with no legs or feet. Later, after the Middle Ages, dragons were more widely known for their lizard-like structure with four legs, topped with razor-sharp claws._

I found the mythology of dragons particularly interesting.

 _In most ancient civilizations, dragons are depicted as strong adversaries or evil deities. However, in more recent ancient cultures, the dragon is associated with good and evil regarding their race. A red dragon, for example, breathes fire and is considered evil. A blue dragon bends water and is considered good. Most dragons are depicted as fire-breathers and therefore considered to be beasts or horrifying monsters._

I could understand why they named their gang the Dragon Slayers. If anyone was powerful enough to slay one of the most evil creatures on the planet, they would be feared upon like no other. It made sense, since they were the most powerful gang.

Before I knew it, I had given up on sorting the books and was thoroughly engulfed in the book I was reading. I leaned back on the cushions and lifted the book above me to get a better view of it. I had always loved reading, even back when I was a child. Fiction or non-fiction, books intrigued me. A painting of words, a canvas with the whole alphabet and dictionary as utensils. Imagination served as the paint.

The door suddenly burst open and Natsu walked in, making me jump. His pink hair was disheveled and his shirt had wrinkles in it. He looked up to see me sprawled across his bed with books all around me. He paused, his glum face brightening slightly with amusement. I gulped and shut the book abruptly, ready to come up with a feasible excuse even though my mind had gone blank.

 _Natsu_

I had just had an awful afternoon. Laxus' job came back unsuccessful and the letter that I had put on my desk had vanished without a trace. Lord Zeref was angry with me and I still couldn't seal anything unless that stupid package arrived. Needless to say, I was stressed out. But when I walked into my room to see my buttercup splayed across my bed, her cheeks flushed and a book open in her lap, I couldn't help but crack a smile.

She'd been asked to sort the books and instead, she had ended up reading one instead. It was almost laughable. Her red skirt had risen up past her knees and I could feel my chest tighten at her long, white legs. When she had turned beat red after seeing me come out of the shower, it had made me thoroughly amused. Especially when she had frantically tried to keep her eyes on my face when they kept darting down to stare at me.

Not that I could blame her, I had worked hard to get my drool-worthy body.

What had surprised me even more was how easily she turned the tables against me. Calling my body 'mediocre' was a low blow to my ego. Granted, it was a little too big to begin with, I still felt hurt by her words. I knew she didn't mean it, but it made me think. She was able to compose herself quickly. That made me think she had been in that situation before, or a situation similar to it.

I didn't say anything to her as she stared at me with wide eyes, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. She was looking for an excuse. I smirked and grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling it over my head. She gasped as I tossed the shirt aside.

"What are you doing? You are undressing in the presence of a lady! Have you no decency?" she scolded. I grinned, enjoying how she went all formal when she was nervous, angry, or embarrassed. In this case, I was pretty sure it was all three.

I ignored her and reached in my closet, pulling out my signature vest with one sleeve. I pulled it on and zipped the vest up. I looked over at her, amused to see she was glaring angrily at me with her lips pursed. I reached into the closet again and pulled out my dragon-scaled scarf, wrapping it around my neck. She stared at me, her scowl vanishing and a glazed look passing over her face before I spoke.

"Okay, you're coming with me to a meeting. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to wear these. Lord Zeref's orders." I said, pulling out the shackles for her wrists. Her pursed her lips and got off the bed, coming over to me. I gulped as I noticed that her blouse wasn't buttoned all the way up. She stood right in front of me and extended her wrists. Without breaking eye contact, I put them on, feeling awful for doing this to her.

Once I had finished, I stepped back and gave her a crooked smile.

"Ready, buttercup?" I asked. She gave me a look and her eyes flashed.

"That is not my name. I would prefer it if you called me by my name. If you continue your attempts to piss me off, I will have to take drastic measures." She growled softly. I felt the grin on my face widen as I leaned down close to her face.

"And what exactly would those be, buttercup?" I teased, my breath fanning her face. She turned her head and looked me directly in the eyes with a hard expression.

"Trust me, you don't want to find out, _cupcake_."

 _ **In case no one has gotten it yet, he calls her "buttercup" because she has blond hair. She calls him "cupcake" because he has pink hair.**_

 _ **Leave a review if you enjoyed!**_


	7. 6: Witnessing the Devil Himself

**_Hey everybody! So last chapter was pretty light-hearted. This one, however, get's a little darker so prepare yourselves._**

 ** _Warning: This chapter has depictions of physical abuse._**

Chapter 6: Witnessing the Devil Himself

 _Natsu_

I stood in the large conference room, my back to the wall, standing next to my six other counterparts. We stood in a straight line on one side of the room while the other side was occupied by lower officers and officials of our gang. My hands were clasped behind my back as I left my expression neutral. Buttercup stood silently behind me just like all the other personal slaves. She swayed slightly and I had to keep myself from looking at her.

Lord Zeref still hadn't arrived so the officials had started giving me all the reports. One of our leading officials, a young man with electric blue hair and green eyes stood near us, shuffling through his papers. He had a red tattoo on his right eye, which he assured us was just a birthmark. He was known as many different names in different parts of the land. In the northern land, he was known as Mystogan. In the west, his homeland, he was known as Jellal. Here, in the east, he was known as Siegrain, one of our best scouts.

I glanced down my line of advisors and friends. Wendy had three slaves standing behind her, while everyone else had only one. All except for Gajeel. He had had one once but they didn't get along. Zeref had the slave executed because Gajeel had caught him snooping in the conference room. I remember when that happened and vowed to myself that I wouldn't ever have a personal slave to save them for that kind of horrific fate.

Now I had buttercup. She wasn't my idea of the perfect slave, but she was fun to tease and mess around with. She put up a good fight, and I liked that. And I knew she was smart. She wouldn't put herself in a bad position if she could help it. Unless something happened and that little fire within her burned brighter, she wouldn't put herself in danger.

"Any good news, Siegrain?" Cobra asked coolly.

Cobra and Siegrain had a complicated past. Before either of them had joined the gang, they had both been homeless. Siegrain, or Jellal, as he was known then, manipulated Cobra and several other young people to doing his bidding under the pretense that he was going to show them perfect freedom. When Cobra joined the gang and became one of my personal advisors, he made sure to come after Jellal first. Thankfully, I saved Jellal from Cobra's rage and appointed him, not as an advisor, but as a scout so he would be gone most of the time.

"Depends on your opinion." Siegrain responded calmly, flipping through one of his sheets. I smirked as Cobra clenched his fists. His personal slave, a young girl with violet hair, placed her tender fingers on the back of his arms. Cobra relaxed instantly. I looked away from the scene, feeling awkward watching a slave and master behave so fondly to each other in public. I knew Cobra had feelings for his little slave. But I just hoped he would be smart enough not to act on his feelings.

Siegrain looked over at me and gave me a respectful nod. He walked over to me and extended his arm. I grasped his forearm, as he clasped mine in greeting. I kept the other hand firmly behind my back, very aware of my little buttercup watching my every move. I knew she would be taking notes. She would be watching everything, looking for anything to help her escape.

"Good to see you, my lord." Siegrain said, nodding his head. I smiled at him, but kept my eyes neutral.

"Likewise, Siegrain." He looked behind me and peered at buttercup who had tensed slightly.

"Need I ask?" he asked, smirking slightly. He knew that I never wanted a slave. He also knew that I wasn't cruel. I didn't want this girl for her body or her looks or anything superficial. He knew there was something else. He knew me well. I lifted my chin and shook my head. He bowed his head in acceptance and stepped back, clasping both hands in front of him. He was nervous to face my father. Not that I could blame him. I'd be nervous too.

Suddenly, the grand doors opened and my father walked in, in all his glory. He was wearing a black robe and his onyx eyes seemed darker than usual. Behind him, chained with a dog collar, his scarlet-haired slaves trailed behind. Lucy tensed behind me and I could almost smell the anger radiating off her.

I watched as he dragged her over to throne-like seat. He sat down as she stood next to him. She was wearing shackles around her wrists and ankles. She was only wearing a skimpy bikini top and black underwear. She looked exhausted. The collar around her neck was connected to a chain that Zeref was twirling in his hands. She looked like a dog, to put words kindly.

I kept my expression neutral as Siegrain stepped forward to deliver his report.

"Lord Zeref." He said, bowing in greeting. Zeref smiled kindly and nodded. He may have looked like an innocent young man, but he was a monster. "Our attempts at controlling Rosemary Village are still in effect. The villagers are putting up a heck of a fight, sir, but we have managed to control their leading attackers. Two men known as Sho and Wally have been successfully put in custody." Siegrain said, sifting through his files. Zeref's smile widened and his hand closed on his slave's chain.

The scarlet-haired slave's head perked up at Siegrain's report. Her eyes lashed in hatred and anger as Siegrain mentioned the names of the two who had been captured. I remembered that this scarlet-hared beauty was actually from Rosemary. She must know the names of the men who were captures. Zeref had taken her into his custody specifically to sway the spirit of the villagers. It didn't work, obviously, but Siegrain seemed optimistic.

"Not only was that, sir, but the rebel's leader, a man known as Simon, eliminated yesterday. This will make it much easier to—"

Siegrain's voice was cut off by a shrill wail. I turned my head to see that Zeref's scarlet-haired slave had fallen to her knees. She wailed again, more raspy this time. It didn't sounded like a scream or a sob. It was the sound of someone who had just had part of their heart ripped out. Her hands were shaking and she wailed a third time, much to the annoyance of Zeref. He raised his leg to kick her.

Her eyes flashed and she looked up with a look of absolute vehemence. She grabbed Zeref's leg that had come to kick her and twisted it so Zeref had to twist in his seat. She stood up, while he was still composing himself and yanked her chain out of his hands. Then she crouched and lunged like a wild animal towards Siegrain.

Lucy gasped as she leapt onto him and began to flail her arms, causing him to fall over on his back so she was straddling him. Her fists pounded everywhere on his face and chest and her nails clawed his chest and cheeks, aiming for his eyes. Siegrain put his arms up to protect himself but he didn't seem surprised. He didn't try to forcefully stop or fight back, he just made sure she avoided his face and eyes. She was shouting curses and screaming profanities at all of us. It was obvious that she had had an attachment to the person who was killed. I understood now why Zeref chose her.

Speaking of the devil, Zeref had risen from his seat and was calmly watching the scene. His lips twitched in amusement as she began to call us 'murderers' and 'slaughterers' of innocent people. He sighed and calmly walked over to her. I knew what was going to happen. He was going to punish her hard in front of all of us. And I knew it wouldn't a pretty sight. I was used to it, but knew my buttercup wouldn't be. If I wasn't careful, she would do something stupid.

As a precautionary, I subtly reached behind me and closed my hand around the chain in between her cuffs to make sure she didn't move from that spot. I turned my head slightly and gave her a hard look. She was already trembling, but I couldn't tell if it was out of rage or fear. Probably both.

Zeref reached his slave who was too busy trying to strangle Siegrain to see Zeref approach. He grabbed the back of her head by the hair and yanked her backwards, causing her to yelp in surprise and pain. He threw her to the side and before she could recover, in one swift move, he delivered a side-kick to her jaw, causing her to fall over to the side. The sickening crunch of her jaw caused me to tense and Lucy to take in a sharp breath. Siegrain stood up and backed away as Zeref advanced on his slave.

He grabbed her by the hair again and lifted her head up so he could look her in the eye. Once she did, he backhanded her across the other jaw, her head whipping to the side. Then he threw her, head first, on the ground. Her head made contact with the concrete floor with a repulsive thud. He stood to his full height and lifted his leg back. He brought his leg down with such a force and kicked her right in her stomach. She gasped and wheezed, all the air leaving her. He kicked her three more times, and I was pretty sure he had broken a few of her ribs.

Suddenly, I felt Lucy's hands wrap around my wrist. I turned my head slightly and found her giving me a look of pure hatred. Her fingernails dug into my wrists, as if she were trying to get me to let her go. I understood the look she was giving me. It was a desperate plead: _do something_.

I gave her a stiff look and turned back to face the scene, ignoring how her nails were leaving dark half-moon shapes on my wrist. Zeref had now forced her onto her stomach. He pulled out a whip from his robes and began to lash at her, causing her to howl in agony. Siegrain, clasped his hands in front of him and I caught his eyes. He didn't like this. None of us liked this. But there was nothing we could do.

"Down, pet." Zeref said serenely. Then he grabbed her chain and yanked her bloody form back to the throne. She crawled after him, all the fight extinguished out of her. Her cheeks were wet with mixed blood and tears and I knew that if she didn't treat her back soon, she could get infected. Zeref didn't seem concerned.

"I apologize for my pet. It gets a little too wild sometimes. Continue, Siegrain." He said smoothly. Siegrain straightened himself out and continued his report. Zeref's slave stared wide-eyed at the floor, tears streaming down her face, but no sound escaping from her lips.

I glanced to the side to see Rogue's eyes on my arm. He watched as Lucy's grip tightened and my fist clenched harder around her chain. My gaze connected with his and I gave him a firm gaze, daring him to look away first. He did, suspicion clouding his expression, and I faced front again, knowing all too well that this was going to raise questions.

When Siegrain finished his report on Rosemary Village, I was ready to leave. But my father had other plans for this meeting.

"So it seems our attempts at the Rosemary Village are going smoothly. With our latest efforts, we should have full control by the end of next week. Am I correct?" Siegrain nodded and Zeref smiled. "Why don't we speed up the process?" he asked quietly, glancing at his slave, who didn't dare look at him. I inhaled sharply as Zeref yanked on the chain, causing her to fall over. Zeref laughed and tossed the chain to Siegrain who caught it with ease.

"Take my pet and put it up as an example. In the town square, I think. With chains and chains around her naked body." He said, licking his lips. "Tie her there with the others that you've captured. They don't get any food, water, or medicine until the village complies. Does that sound fair?" Lucy's grip tightened and I gritted my teeth in pain. I was pretty sure she had drawn blood by now. Siegrain bowed.

"Fair as always. As you wish." With that, he yanked roughly on the slave's chain and dragged her out of the hall.

As soon as Siegrain left the hall, Zeref stood up and dismissed the meeting. The other officials and officers all left deep in conversation. Lucy's hands left my wrist but I didn't release her chain. She was still shaking. I couldn't trust her on her own until we made it back to my rooms. I nodded to my father and pulled her out of the hall with me, ignoring the looks of my friends, asking me to stay.

I shook my head, knowing I couldn't talk to them. Not yet, anyway.

I had a ticking time-bomb on my hands.

And I would only allow her to explode in the safety of my own rooms.

 ** _Pretty intense scene. Leave a review about what you thought!_**


	8. 7: The Time-Bomb Goes Off

**_Welcome back! Last chapter was pretty intense, I know. Now we get to see the aftermath! Drumroll please..._**

Chapter 7: The Time-Bomb Goes Off

 _Natsu_

I pushed her into the room and turned around to shut the door behind me. When I turned back around, I was attacked by a wild and furious buttercup.

" _How could you_? You selfish, egoistic, bastard! How could you!" She shrieked while clawing at my face.

I raised my hands and tried to block her flailing arms. She gutted me in the stomach and I was winded for a second as she slapped my face twice. My arms got distracted and tried to protect my stomach so she slapped my face again. When I tried to protect my face again, she kneed me in the stomach. Finally growing tired of it, I grabbed her wrists and stopped her from attacking me.

"Calm down." I said, trying to be level-headed. She spewed out a line of colorful swears that had me raising my eyebrows. It wasn't every day that you saw a princess like her swear like a sailor. That told me that she was more than just angry. She was _infuriated_. I squeezed her wrists and she gasped, yanking them out of my grasp.

"You just _stood_ there! You coward! You could have done something! She was suffering! He was torturing her! Why didn't any of you _do_ anything? Why did you _just stand_ there? You could have stopped him! He was killing her and you did nothing! He could have killed her and yet you still would have _done nothing._ You are a sick monster with no soul. I can't believe people like you exist. You should be locked away in a _straight-jacket_!" she screamed. I opened my mouth and took a step forward, trying to get her to stop yelling at me.

"Don't touch me! Stay away, you _psychopath_!" she shrieked, grabbing a book from one of the shelves. She chucked it at me and I found myself blocking various things that she was throwing at me from around the room.

"H-hey! Stop it, buttercup! Stop it! Just listen to me for a—" I let out a grunt as a book hit me in the stomach. She grabbed an umbrella in the corner and ran at me, whacking me on the head with it. I screamed in frustration and anger. I grabbed the umbrella and yanked it out of her hands, tossing it aside. My eyes flashed as I advanced on her. I grabbed her wrist and she punched me right in the nose.

"Hands _off_ , psycho!" she snarled, yanking her wrist away from me. I sighed in exasperation, grabbing my nose where she had punched me. She hugged herself and back away into a corner, the anger turning into to fear and sadness.

"Now she'll be tied up with no food or water. She could die if she isn't treated—"

"Buttercup."

"—and none of you will do anything because all you care about is yourselves. You don't give a shit for a poor defenseless girl who has no choice but to—"

" _Buttercup_."

"—fight with nothing but her bare hands against people who will kill her if she takes a step out of line. I don't understand how any of you can live with yourselves. I can't believe you're just going to let her get flayed alive—"

" _Lucy_!" she stopped when I used her real name. She looked at me with wide-eyes as I panted in relief that she had finally stopped talking. "She's not actually going to be flayed alive!" I yelled, exasperated. Confusion passed over her face, then a look of recognition as she looked at me suspiciously.

"She's… not?" she whispered slowly. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"No, Jesus Christ. Do you really think we'd be that heartless?" I raised my finger as she opened her mouth to argue. "Don't answer that." I said, cutting her off. She pursed her lips and stared at me, disbelievingly.

"What about that man? What about Simon?" she asked quietly. I look her dead in the eye and frowned.

"He's dead." I said tersely. She took in a sharp breath and sat on the bed, her eyes clouding with mist and sadness. "Why are you so upset? You didn't even know him." I pointed out, staring at her, confused. She looked up and gaped at me in disbelief.

"What kind of a question is that? A man is dead, Natsu, don't you understand that? And this man meant a lot to Erza." She said, giving me a wide look, like what I said had only proven her point that I was a sociopath. And maybe I was.

"Who?" I asked, not recognizing the name. Lucy gritted her teeth in anger.

" _Erza_. Her name is Erza." She hissed. I pursed my lips and looked away, feeling slightly guilty for not knowing her name. It wasn't _entirely_ my fault. There were so many slaves, that I hadn't bothered to learn their names. I only knew the important ones. I knew my own slave's name and that was enough for me.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Lucy asked abruptly. I looked at her and frowned. She gave me a hard look, refusing to break eye contact. I sighed.

"You can't just take my word for it?" I asked hopefully. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. I closed my eyes and sighed loudly. "Okay, fine. I'll take you to see. But you can't say anything about this to anyone. No one knows about this but me and one other person, alright?"

She stood up and looked at me hopefully. She nodded and I knew this was the right decision.

 _Lucy_

I followed Natsu out of the room cautiously. I watched the muscles on his back and thought about what he had just told me. At this point, I was assuming that they were all monsters. The way no one even flinched when Zeref started literally kicking Erza when she was down made me want to scream. I wanted to do something, anything. I wanted to jump in and take the pain for her. It made me furious when he kept me from doing anything. And the way he referred to her as 'it' like she was nothing more than a piece of furniture made me want to spit in his face with acid.

I glanced at his wrist and smirked internally as I recognized the marks of my fingernails on his skin. He deserved so much worse. The look he had given me was so empty, so void of emotion. Was he screaming on the inside too? The way he had kept me from doing anything told me something. He had grabbed my chains before Zeref had even lain a hand on her. He knew that Erza would be punished harshly. How did he know? Had he been in her position once?

I fought to remember anything about the way he acted in the presence of his father. Stoic, calm, steady, nothing like the Natsu I knew. I remembered his chiseled body and chest and remembered a couple of scars on his lower stomach. Where did he receive them? Was Zeref not only cruel to his servants and slaves, but also to his children? My speculations would go nowhere if I didn't ask him personally. Maybe he had been cruel to me before. Maybe he had made my jaw black and blue from his backhand. But that was one mark on my body when I didn't even know how many he had.

Natsu led me down a flight of stairs hidden in a tower. It was dark and ominous and he only held a small torch for light. Unconsciously, I reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt to keep myself from falling behind. He noticed because his shoulders tensed, but he didn't stop or turn around. We exited the staircase and followed a dark hallway under the castle. I didn't realize how big the castle was until now.

Finally, we reached a black door. Natsu knocked three times and we saw an eye appear in the peephole. The eye narrowed as it zeroed in on Natsu's face. Natsu looked directly at the peephole, showing whoever was inside his full form. The eye disappeared and I heard the jingling of a padlock. The door opened a few inches and I could see the face of a man and his emerald green eyes.

"Lord Natsu? Can I assist you with something?" the man asked. I recognized his voice from somewhere but I couldn't put my finger. Natsu grabbed my hand and I inhaled sharply at his touch.

"We weren't followed. Let us in, Siegrain." Natsu said firmly.

The face shifted so I could see the distinguishing red tattoo on the man's right eye. I recognized him as the man who delivered the report on Rosemary Village. Confusion swelled within me as the door closed and I heard more jangling of locks. The door swung all the way open and the man quickly ushered us inside, looking around to be sure we weren't followed. I was slightly mesmerized by his piercing green eyes and electric blue hair. He was stunning and I was slightly ashamed to admit a blush rose to my cheeks.

I turned around as Natsu gripped the young man's arm in greeting. I gasped in relief as I saw Erza's pale form on the ground with a blanket around her shoulders. I ran to her and fell to my knees, pulling her into an embrace. She sighed against my chest as I sobbed into her hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" I whispered. She soothed me quietly, stroking my hair. I pulled back, the tears streaming down my cheeks. She gave me a sad smile as I noticed her cheeks and jaw were turning bruised and ugly. I noticed than that she was only wearing black shorts and nothing else. She stomach and chest were wrapped with white bandages that covered her whole upper body. I knew the bandages were for her back.

"I should have done something. I should have protected you, I should have—"

"Lucy." Erza's soft voice cut me off gently. I looked up at her as her hand cupped my cheek. She smiled sadly at me as a single tear glistened down her cheek.

"There was nothing you could have done. There was nothing anyone could have done. I chose my fate. You have nothing to be sorry for." I pressed my lips to her palm and cried, hating that I was crying when she was the one covered in injuries. I turned around to see Natsu and the young man watching us grimly. I swallowed the lump in my throat and stood up to face Natsu. I ducked my head down and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for doubting you." I whispered softly. "I'm sorry for calling you the things I did. It was wrong of me to assume anything. I hope you can forgive me." I said quietly, bowing my head respectfully. As much as it embarrassed me, I had been taught since birth to own up to my mistakes and to confront them directly. I never let pride get in the way of a deserved apology.

"Apology accepted. Buttercup, I want you to meet Siegrain. He's a very important scout and one of my good friends. He's the one who smuggled your friend down here. One of his many talents is that he's a tremendous healer. And as much as he pretends to be, he's not a heartless bastard." Natsu grinned at his friend and punched his shoulder playfully. Siegrain gave Natsu a look and then looked back at me, smiling.

"I know you were eager to see her. I promise you, she's in good hands. I'm actually from a town not far from Rosemary. They know me as Jellal, there." I turned back to sit with Erza who wasn't looking at Jellal. I took her hands and she lifted her eyes to give me a sweet smile.

"I'm sorry about Simon." I said softly. Erza cast an angry glare to Jellal but looked back at me with a smile, her eyes moistening slightly.

"He died trying to protect the people of our Village. Just like me. I may be looked after now, but once I'm healed, I'll go right back to being Zeref's punching bag." I heard the malice in her voice and couldn't help but agree with her. Maybe Natsu and Jellal weren't heartless enough to starve her while she was injured, but they still would put her back in the hands of that monster without a second glance. I squeezed her hands and stood up.

"I'm going to get you some water." I said tersely. I walked to the door of the room when Natsu's hand latched around my arm.

"You don't have to do that. I'm sure she's fine. Let's just go back to the room now, buttercup." He said with a warning. I looked at where his hand was holding my arm. His grip wasn't tight, but it was tight enough to where I knew he meant business. I looked up at him and stared him directly in the eye.

"She needs water. You may not care for her, but I do. You will let me go." I said firmly, my lips pursed. Natsu's yellow eyes flashed as confusion passed in his vision. He must have been wondering why my mood had soured so quickly. If he didn't know, then it wasn't up to me to tell him why.

"Okay, look, buttercup. I'm not even supposed to have shown you this. Can you just stop fighting me and do as I say for once?" he asked, exasperated. My eyes flashed and I turned to face him, ripping my arm out of his grasp.

"For once? I have been doing nothing but your bidding since the moment I got here, whether it was my will or not. And as much as I am grateful that you showed me this, it doesn't change the fact that she will receive more scars because you won't help her. She's been smuggled here, why can't you smuggle her out?" I countered forcefully. Natsu threw his hands up.

"If I do that, then I put everyone's lives at risk, my own included. Zeref will know that she will have had help and he will stop at nothing to find the traitor, even if he has to kill everyone on court to do it." I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes, ignoring his blatant excuse.

"There are countless things you could say, stories you could make up. You are the gang lord's son, yet I've never seen you use that position to your advantage! You are his heir, he has to trust you more than anyone else in this castle. If you told him a lie, he would believe you because you are of his blood. You're a coward. That's the only explanation."

"You have no idea what you're talking about, buttercup. As much as you pretend to know how things work around here, you don't and you never will. I hate using force, but I will if I have to. You are my slave, buttercup, and you will answer to your master or there will be hell to pay." He threatened.

A darkness surrounded him as all amusement vanished from his face. His eyes clouded over and he lifted his chin, making him seem so much taller. I stepped backward and felt a lump in my throat again.

"As I told you once before, I do not respond to that term. You are not my master, nor are you anyone I would take orders from. I am going to get Erza some water. You will not stop me." my voice came out calm and steady even though my hands were shaking uncontrollably. With that, I turned on my heel and walked out the door, a tear rolling down my flushed cheeks.

 ** _Dun Dun Dun... Leave a Review to tell me what you thought!_**

 ** _Thanks for all your lovely support!_**


	9. 8: A Waste of Space

_**Hey Guys! Just a heads up, don't expect frequent updates as much anymore because school has just started for me and this is a really important year. I need to be as focused as i can on this school year. I will try and write as much as I can but I'm apologizing in advance if I don't post for months at a time.**_ _**Just know, I'm not dead, I'm just buried in school work.**_ _**Thanks for understanding! Enjoy!**_

Chapter 8: A Waste of Space

Natsu was leaning against the door when I returned with the glass of water. I gulped as I saw that under his lips, he was gritting his teeth. I knew he was angry. I was still angry too. But he had never looked at me the way he had not twenty minutes ago. And it scared the living shit out of me.

Natsu turned his head to acknowledge my presence. He narrowed his eyes at the glass that I gripped tightly with both hands. He jutted his chin towards the door as if to tell me to hurry up and give the water to her. He pushed himself off the door and stepped behind me, his eyes hard on my back. I tried to ignore the way his eyes burned my skin. Only God knew what was going on inside his head. I had a bad habit of making people angry.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside, ducking my head down. I looked up and froze at the doorway, my lips parted and my eyes as wide as saucers.

Erza was standing in front of Siegrain, his arms wrapped around her waist and her arms tangled in his hair. Their lips were gently pressed together, their eyes closed. I blinked rapidly as they broke a part to look at me. I felt my cheeks burning as I ducked my head down and muttered an apology. I placed the glass of water on the table next to me and scurried out of the room, shutting the door quickly behind me.

I had just walked in on their intimate moment and I couldn't have felt more awkward. Natsu was giving me a strange look. My cheeks were still flushed and my pupils dilated. I looked at the floor and said nothing as I walked past him, back the way we came. Natsu fell into step next to me and took the lead as we reached the winding staircase. He didn't look at me or acknowledge my presence. I watched the muscles in his back as we walked down the hall that would lead to his rooms. They were tense and stiff, but I couldn't believe I made him that angry. It had to be something else.

And I was realizing that I cared more about why he was upset than I let on.

As we continued to walk, I noticed two young men standing a little ways down the hall. I recognized them as two of the masters of the castle. However, I couldn't remember which one was which. I knew their names, Sting and Rogue, but I couldn't remember if the one with blond hair was Sting or Rogue. They were Yukino and Lisanna's masters. They both had grim looks on their faces. As we got closer, I noticed a diagonal scar on the blond one's right eyebrow and a thin scar across the one with black hair's nose.

I knew Natsu had a scar on the left side of his abdomen and a scar on the right side of his neck because I had seen them. These two had scars as well. I couldn't help but wonder if they got the scars from the same place.

The two stood two attention as we got closer. Natsu stopped as we reached them and I stopped as well, not sure of what to do. The two gave me scrutinizing looks and then glanced back at Natsu. Natsu looked at me and I was taken aback by his expression. He looked at me like I was an annoying pet that he had to deal with. I took a step back as he turned to face me.

"Go back to the rooms. I need to do something." I swallowed the bile in my throat as his gruff voice. I turned around to get away from their glares. I started to walk back when I felt Natsu's hand latch around my arm. "We'll talk about your behavior when I get back." He added, hissing menacingly. I gulped as he released me and walked away with the two masters, talking in hushed whispers.

I turned around to watch him walk away. He hadn't even giving me a second glance as he disappeared around the corner. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he was furious at me. I felt unnervingly betrayed and broken. He had never treated me with such contempt even at the auction. He looked at me like I was a game and smirked at me with amusement then. Now, his eyes were dark hollows and I couldn't understand why. I couldn't understand why he was treating me with such disdain and scorn when not four hours ago, he was teasing me because I couldn't tear my eyes off his chest.

I turned away, trying to blink back the tears. This is what I wanted from the start. I didn't want him to pay attention to me in the first place. All I wanted was to pass unnoticed and that way it would give me an easier chance to escape. _Escape_. It was a word that I had barely thought of since I had been here even though I knew it was my ultimate goal. I hadn't even though about how I would go about escaping. There was a door to the outside from the slaves' hall but I knew that guards surrounded that place.

I walked back to Natsu's room and entered quietly, thinking about a different way to escape. If I could get to a lower floor and then try and escape through a window, it could work. Once I did escape, if I ever did, where would I go? I had no idea where I was and I knew that this place was surrounded by thicket. First, I had to find a map and figure out where I was, then I could figure out how to get out.

I walked over to Natsu's desk and stared at all his papers. There had to be something in here that would tell me where I was. I sifted through all the documents, shoving aside unneeded ones. I couldn't find anything that would resemble a map. How did he not keep his location somewhere? Didn't he need to figure out travel plans and such?

I gasped, hitting myself on the head. I was so ridiculously stupid sometimes.

I grabbed an envelope that had been sent to this location from someone named Mystogan Fernandez. But I didn't care about who sent it. I peered at the address the letter was sent to and grinned. We were in the City of Magnolia, at least on the outskirts. I knew this city. I knew how far away it was from my home and from the Fullbuster's home. If I could figure out in which direction to run to get to the heart of the city, I would be able to get home without any complications. At least, that what I hoped.

I piled all his documents back where they were so he wouldn't think I was here. I turned to face the room and cringed as I saw how the books were still sprawled across the bed. I walked over to them and started to pick them up. I meant to organize these but I ended up making a mess of things. I thought about Natsu's empty stare when I had yelled at him earlier. Maybe if I cleaned this up, some emotion would reenter his stare. Any emotion was better than the vacancy he gave me not twenty minutes ago.

I started to do the work I had left off, sorting the books first by title and then by author. I pulled more books off the shelves so I could alphabetize everything. I tried to dispel any other thoughts from my mind and dove into my work. I distracted myself easily, going through each book, marveling at some of the illustrations and putting them in their respective spots. I didn't even notice how much time had passed.

Soon, over an hour had passed and I was almost done with all Natsu's books. He still hadn't returned but I tried not to think about it. He was probably just having a long night. I didn't want to see him anyway. He would just yell at me, or look at me coolly, or call me buttercup the way I hated. I still hated that nickname. It made me feel like a category, like I wasn't my own person but a random face in a crowd of blondes.

I knew that he only did it to annoy me and that if I just ignored it, he would stop, but I couldn't help it. It was so infuriating the way he would just stare at me, waiting for my reaction. He pushed and prodded my buttons and I tried to be civil about it but it was hard when he gave me his signature grin. That grin lit his face like a beacon. All the hardness in his eyes disappeared and nothing was left but light and amusement.

Then his grin would disappear and he would become the most terrifying person I had ever seen. Every time he had been on the phone with someone, he would threaten the most horrible things, and I could tell he meant them. What did he do behind the scenes that I never saw? Did he torture people like some vicious sadist? Did I miss the signs that told me how much of a monster he was? Or was I just speculating again and drawing conclusions from bare to no evidence.

I was just finishing putting the books on their shelves when the door opened and Natsu stumbled in, looking completely disheveled. His hair was tousled and messier than usual, his vest was open and there were wrinkled all over the fabric. His eyes were dark and tired with dark circles under them. He carried his scarf in one hand and leaned on the door with the other. He exhaled and I caught a whiff of his breath. He smelled of alcohol.

I gulped and backed away, not liking him at all like this. He looked up and gave me scrutinizing look like he was trying to remember who I was.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice coming out raspy and gruff and completely unlike his usual one. He was irritable and angry. He spoke harshly and with venom laced in every word.

"I-uh-I finished alphabetizing your books?" I answered almost in a question as he took a step into the room. He slammed the door shut behind him and I flinched at the loud bang that came of it. He gave me an icy look. He was angry with me. I didn't know why.

"I don't care about my stupid books, you pest, what are you doing in _here_?" he hissed gesturing abruptly to the space around him. I stared at him confusion, still not sure what he was asking. I took another step back and felt the back of my knees bang against his bed. I grabbed one of the pillars around the bed and tried to stay standing.

"I-I don't u-understand." I whispered desperately as his eyes flashed in anger.

"Why are you in my room? This is my room and you can't come in here without my permission. I was kind of hoping to get some privacy tonight but now that's ruined, isn't it?" he snarled, taking a few steps forward. He wobbled slightly and I realized that he was completely wasted. He had slurred on the word permission and his eyes kept flickering from glassy to rigid. He didn't know what he was saying. At least, I hoped that was the case.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted the night to yourself." I said, trying to keep my voice steady. An unstable gang lord was not someone I wanted to be in the same room with. He was a ticking time-bomb and I needed to be careful so I didn't set him off. He threw his hands up angrily, taking another step forward.

"You never do, do you? You never realize or see or hear anything except when you want to! God, you're such a waste of space. I never should have taken you from the auction. I should have just let you be chosen by some rapist." I tried not to show how much his words stung and reached out for his arms.

"Okay, let's g-get you into bed. You're drunk, please, j-just come to bed." I said as calmly as I could.

Natsu's hollow eyes glared at me and jerked back as I tried to touch him. His nostrils flared and he grabbed my wrist and yanked me towards the door to my room. I let out a yelp and stumbled as he roughly pulled me with him. He opened the door and all but tossed me into the room. I stumbled forward and just managed to catch myself before turning around to face him with wide eyes.

"Stay in here and stop bothering me like some kind of annoying roach under my feet." He hissed. With that, he slammed the door in my face and I stared, my eyes wide with shock, my mouth hanging open.

I tried to wrap my mind around what had just happened. I was stunned. I was taken aback, appalled, _horrified_.

He had never talked to me like that before. Not when we first met, not after I had refused to do his bidding, not even when I had insulted him. He was completely drunk, that much I could tell easily. But even wasted, he knew what he was saying. I saw the truth in every word he spit at me. He meant every word even if he never mean to say any of it.

He saw me as nothing but a bug under his shoes. He thought I was a waste of space. He regretted ever picking me. Isn't that what I wanted?

I felt the tears well up in my eyes and I turned around abruptly to collapse on my bed. I buried my face in the pillow and started to sob. It wasn't just his harsh words that brought me to this point. It was the toll of everything that as happening to me finally hitting me. I was a _slave_. I had no rights, no say, _nothing_ in my name. My father was _dead_ and my fiancée probably was too. I wept as I thought about how much I missed my father and how much I wished I could see Gray's face again, even if it was just as friends.

I lifted my face up and pulled the ring off my finger, the shackles on my wrists, which he still hadn't taken off, made it hard to find a comfortable position. I stared at the ring in my hand and felt tears well up in my eyes again. Gray and I weren't intimate, that much was certain. But I would have given anything at that moment to be back in his arms. I prayed to anyone who would listen that he was still alive. I prayed and hoped with everything in me that he was still alive and that he was coming to get me.

That he was coming to take me away from this hell.

I closed my fist around the ring and continued to sob into the pillow for what seemed like hours after. Finally, I grew too exhausted to keep crying and fell into deep slumber. The last time I had ever cried myself to sleep was the day my mother died.

Now, I wanted nothing more than to join her.

 _ **Leave a review and tell me what you thought!**_


	10. 9: New Questions and Answers

**_Hey everyone! I'm finally back! Thank you all for being so patient and understanding. I'm not going to lie, this chapter was really hard to write (and not just because I've been swamped with schoolwork.) Enjoy!_**

Chapter 9: New Questions and Answers

It had been three days since Natsu had yelled at me so harshly. I avoided him at all costs. I made sure that I didn't come into his room until after he had left. I would quickly do the list of chores he gave me and then I would go to slave hall to grab some food. I avoided the other slaves as well. I only interacted with Milliana once when I bumped into her getting some food. She gave me a small smile and then walked by me without saying anything.

I spent the rest of my time staring out the window, twisting the ring around my finger and imagining what Gray and my father would be doing if they were alive. Sometimes, I would start reading one or two of Natsu's books. But I made sure that I was in my own room with the door shut when he came in to sleep.

It wasn't just me avoiding him. He made no move to try and talk to me since that night. He only left me scribbled notes for chores and nothing else. He had given me the key to my shackles, but nothing else. He rushed in and out of his room every day, grabbing something from his desk and leaving in a rush. At night, he would stay up for hours at his desk, working on something.

I knew this because I watched him. I watched his every move, trying to figure out his patterns, his habits. Being ignored left an uncomfortable feeling in my chest, but I accepted it and used it to my advantage. Sometimes, I would shift something out of place on his desk and see if he would notice it. He rarely did. He only noticed if I pulled something out of his desk that he needed. That told me he was forgetful about how he organized his desk and never questioned anything about the mess.

I also noticed that he was gone early in the morning and he would only come back mid-day to grab something and then he would leave again. He wouldn't come back until late at night and even then, he would stay up for hours in the wee hours of the morning until he finally allowed himself a few hours of sleep. He had even gone a day without sleep during the time he was ignoring me.

I had all the data I needed. Today, I was going to find a window to escape from. Once I found the window, I would make sure that Natsu was fast asleep before going out to escape. I knew that he wasn't getting much sleep and that one day, he would crash. I just had to bide my time until that time. Once he crashed, he would give me at least four hours of a head start. If he kept ignoring me, like he has been, then he may not even notice my missing until a whole day later or days, even.

I pulled on the brown pants I had worn on my first day and a plain orange shirt. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and walked over to the door that would lead to Natsu's room. I put my ear at the keyhole and listened for any sign of movement. I could hear him walking around. I crouched down and sat at the keyhole, listening and waiting for him to leave.

Finally, I heard the sound of the door open and close. I didn't hear the sound of a key turning in a lock so I was lifted slightly. I stood up and opened the door only to see that he had left something at the threshold. I frowned and narrowed my eyes as I crouched down again. There was a pile of five books sitting there with a plate of food on top. Next to the plate was a note. I picked up the note and frowned as I read it.

 _These are my favorite titles. I'm sorry for the other day. We'll talk when I get back—N._

I crumpled the note in my fist and tossed it aside, glancing at the plate of food. It was a piece of cake and several slabs of chocolate. Was this his way of apologizing to me for being wasted off his ass? He was a little late. Three days to be exact.

I grabbed the stack of books and brought them into my room so he wouldn't think I had rejected them. I put the plate of deserts on my dresser and picked up a slab of chocolate, popping it into my mouth.

Okay, maybe I was taking the bait. In my defense, I hadn't had any real sweets for too long.

I told myself I didn't want to read his stupid pity presents, but I couldn't help but glance at the titles. I frowned, feeling slightly sad. They looked so interesting. I pushed them away and instead walked through my door and into his room. I glanced at his desk but saw no list of chores. He probably still felt guilty so he didn't leave me any chores. That was fine with me. All the more reason that today was the day I planned my escape.

I was about to leave when I paused, thinking that I needed an excuse. I glanced back at the room and grabbed the bag of laundry in my arms. I slung it over my shoulder. It would make a good excuse if I happened to bump into someone unpleasant, or even Natsu himself. I could just say I was being proficient and that I was doing his laundry. With everything in tow, my fingers brushed over my engagement ring and I sighed.

I turned to the door and opened it, stepping out into the hall. I walked to the staircase that Natsu and I had used once before and walked down into a different hall. I was cautious to keep my head down and look scarce if anyone were to pass me and wonder who I was. I tried to look as discreet as I could so the masters would think nothing of a slave girl passing through.

So far, I hadn't met any other guards or slaves. The castle felt unusually deserted but I tried to keep my mind from wandering.

I tiptoed into another hall and noticed a window that was large enough for me to fit through. I crept up to it and glanced around me before looking through it. I was still at least one story above the ground. If I jumped from here, I would probably sprain my ankle. It was better than jumping from Natsu's room, but it wouldn't help if I wanted to run for miles afterward. If I had a rope, on the other hand, then this would be a different story.

I marked this window for consideration when I heard an angry voice coming from the door behind me. I paused, peering behind me. It was a double door that I hadn't noticed before. It had elaborate designs decorating it in the wood. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked over to it, pressing my ear the door. I could barely make out what the person was saying from the inside, but I did get a couple of words.

"Can't… anything… letter… Fullbuster..." I gasped as I heard Gray's name being used. I crouched down on my knees and peered through the keyhole. I couldn't make out much except that it was a conference of some sort. There were many people inside but I couldn't pinpoint who they were. I turned my head and pressed my ear to the keyhole. Now I could hear more clearly.

"Our debt has grown over the past few weeks. Rosemary Village was only the beginning. Now that they've taken the profits of that village away from us, we have nowhere to draw our wealth. They will own us in a mere matter of months." Someone was saying. My breath caught in my throat as I heard a voice I knew all too well.

"Even if they do own us, they can't control what we do. This is not the first time we've gotten out of something like this. There's a way to get out of this, we just need to find it." Natsu said calmly. I heard a gruff voice angrily yell over Natsu.

"That's all very well and good, but what happens to everything we own while we figure out a way to escape their clutches? They can take away everything, including this castle and everyone in it. They can lock us in jail if they see fit." I frowned as I heard a woman's voice speak next, her voice sounding like a beacon of hope.

"What about the profit we're receiving from our raid on the Heartfilia Corp?" I took in a sharp breath at the mention of my company. "We did as our client asked. Heartfilia Corp should be ours now, correct? Why not strip their wealth and use it to pay our debts."

"If that were the case, we wouldn't be having this crisis." Natsu said gravely. "The Fullbusters planned this. They knew that we couldn't resist controlling an entire company. So they got us to take out their sole competitor. However, their contract stated that if a marriage were to occur between the Heartfilia girl and the Fullbuster boy, then we would have no rights to the Corp."

"But they're not married."

"No, they're not. But they are engaged. The Fullbusters knew that they couldn't trust us to raid on the day they planned, so they were going to try and get the two married as soon as possible. If we had raided a day earlier, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Natsu explained. I stared at the floor, my eyes wide. There was so much information and so many questions in my head that I couldn't sort through them.

"Hold on, engagements aren't binding. They can break off at any time so why is this still a problem?" someone asked. I pressed my ear against the keyhole again, eager to hear the answer.

"On paper, engagements _are_ binding." My blood ran cold as I heard Lord Zeref's voice whisper and echo through the room. "If we had the agreement letter that the Fullbusters sent us, then we would be able to use the lack of marriage against them. Since we don't, and the police have assumed the entire Heartfilia family dead, the Corp is now in the hands of the Fullbuster boy."

"We have the Heartfilia girl don't we? I don't see why she's of any more use to us. We should just get rid of her before she causes any more trouble." My hands fisted and my eyes widened, hot fear prickling in the pit of my stomach.

"No!" my heart softened as I heard Natsu's loud protest. The room went silent for a few seconds while he recovered. "I mean, I don't think that's a good idea. She may be of some use to us still. Even if we can't get them to hand over the Corp, we can use her as bait or as hostage to blackmail them." My heart hardened again and I felt bitter.

"You're sure she knows nothing about the Fullbusters plot?" Zeref questioned. I heard a chair scraping and I assumed that Natsu had stood up.

"Yes, I'm sure. She knows nothing about who killed her father or who ordered the raid on her house. She still has her engagement ring so I'm assuming that she and the Fullbuster boy are somewhat… intimate. If we can use that to our advantage, then we still may be able to have a chance at…" I never found out what they'd be able to have a chance at. Tears were pricking the back of my eyes and I squeezed my eyes shut only to hear a voice behind me.

"What do you think you're doing?" Fear bubbled up within me and my mind raced for a solution. Thinking quickly, I pulled my ring off my finger and dropped it on the ground. I stood up and turned around to see a guard looking at me suspiciously.

"I'm so sorry. I dropped my ring and I was just looking for it." I said, trying to dispel the tears and the lump in my throat that was making it hard for me to speak. The guard barrowed his eyes and peered behind me. He pointed to a spot at my feet.

"Is that it?" he asked. I glanced at the floor and stooped to pick up my ring, feigning relief.

"Oh, yes it is! Thank you so much! I'll just be on my way now." I said, slipping the ring on my finger once again. I started to walk away when the guard grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing out here?" he questioned bluntly. I swallowed the bile in my throat and turned to face him, an innocent smile on my face.

"I was just bringing the laundry to Master Natsu's quarters. Is there something else I should be doing?" I asked politely. The guard released my arm and stepped back, a surprised look on his face.

"You're Master Natsu's personal serf?" he asked in disbelief. I nodded and he scratched the back of his head, stepping backwards. "Carry on, then." He mumbled, before scurrying away. I let out the breath I didn't even know I was holding and all but bolted out of the hall and up the staircase.

I burst into Natsu's rooms and tossed the laundry bag aside. I entered my own room and shut the door, leaning against it. I tried to catch my breath, my heart still racing even though I had done almost no exercise. My heart pounded in my chest and I held up my left hand, staring at the ring.

It was Gray's parents who ordered the attack on my father. It was Silver and Mika who wanted my father murdered. And now, I knew that Natsu and his gang were responsible for the raid. They were responsible for everything I had been put through. Everything I thought was just out of cold blood was actually for something greater. They killed my father for money. All of them did. The Fullbusters did to get my company and the Dragon Slayer gang did for the profit.

Now that I was reduced to a slave, I had no claim to my company. No doubt they stripped me of my name and title. I wouldn't be surprised if they only called me 'buttercup' and my name was cast away into nothingness. I felt trapped, cornered like a dog. The people I thought I trusted became the people who were out to get me.

Was Gray a part of this? I dispelled the idea, clutching my ring. He couldn't have known. We knew each other for years and I knew he cared about me at least like a sister. If he had known about this plot, he would have stopped it. He would have told me.

I felt a steady stream of tears roll down my cheeks as anger took over my body. I wanted justice. I wanted to see all of them put behind bars. Not just for keeping me as a slave, but for using human life as a substitute for money and power. You couldn't put a price on human life and yet that was exactly what they did, what they were still doing. My hands fisted around the ring as the diamond dug into my skin. I reveled in the thought of my escape. If I could escape from all of this, if I could find the police and tell them all I knew, then I could watch them burn at the stake.

I could watch them all burn for destroying my life without a second glance.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out the letter I had found. It felt like months ago that I had noticed the Fullbuster symbol. I had thought nothing of it, then. I should have though something of it. I should have been suspicious right off the bat. My hands shook as the paper crumpled slightly through my tense fingers.

I wanted answers.

Suddenly, I heard the door open and footsteps walk in. Natsu was home. I stared at the letter in my hands and gritted my teeth, brushing away the tears. If they wanted money, then they would have to pry this letter out of my cold, dead hands. I was going to get my answers. I was going to take my position back. I was going to show them that the Heartfilia line wasn't as easily gotten rid of as they thought.

 ** _Leave a review! Thank you all for your support!_**

 ** _So It's only the third week of school and I'm already buried neck high with work. This first semester is going to be hell on earth for me. After Christmas break, it's going to feel like a ton of bricks has been lifted off my shoulders._**

 ** _Question of the Day: When was the worst crunch week you've ever had and what did you have to do for it?_**


	11. 10: A Shift in Manner

_**Hello my lovely readers! Welcome back to another lovely chapter. Things are starting to pick up in this book and I really hope you guys like what I have in store.**_

 ** _Quick note when you read this chapter. Keep in mind everything that had happened to Lucy thus far. Remember who she was and what he situation was before she became a slave. Remember how she never truly mourned Gray or her father after being kidnapped. Please keep an open mind and remember these things when you read this. Anyway, Have a good day and i hope you enjoy!_**

Chapter 10: A Shift in Manner

I crumped the letter in my hand as I heard Natsu's footsteps get close to my door. I stuffed the letter into my pocket, feeling the determination bubble up within me. I was getting my answers even if I had to pry them out of his cold, dead lips. Gathering all the strength I had left, I pushed the door open.

Natsu turned to look at me and I felt my heart wrench at the look he was giving me. It was a look of pity and guilt and rolled into one that made me want to crawl into a hole. I hated being looked at the way he was looking at me. It made me feel weak and insignificant, like I couldn't stand up for myself. Like hell, I couldn't. I swallowed my pride and crossed my arms, pursing my lips.

"Okay, buttercup, I know you're probably waiting for an apology, so here it is. I'm really sorry for how I treated you. You were just trying to do something nice for the slave girl and I overreacted. I'm sorry about the way I discarded you, and I'm really _really_ sorry about getting drunk. I don't know what I said to you, and I'm afraid to find out. Whatever I said, just know that I would have never said it if I was in the right state of mind. No one deserves to be treated the way I treated you." I felt strangely touched but I remained silent, giving him a harsh stare. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Come on, buttercup, say something? I really am sorry. I was having a really bad day and I couldn't control my temper." I remained silent and narrowed my eyes. He could apologize all he wanted. He was filthy liar and a son of a bitch and I would not give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to me. Natsu gave me a look as if he was wondering what else I wanted.

"Buttercup? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you really that upset? What do want me to do? I can make it up to you, just name your price." He cracked a smile, trying to force some emotion out of me. That wasn't going to work. I curled my lower lip and pulled the letter out from my pocket. His eyes widened in recognition as he stared at it. I put both hands on the top of the page as if I were about to rip it to shreds.

"I want answers. Why the hell was this on your desk? Why are you in contract with the Fullbusters?" I questioned. Natsu breathed out and held up his hand, his eyes firmly on the letter as if he were trying to tame a wild animal. He was scared. He was terrified that I could rip it to shreds. And I would. Oh, I _so_ would.

"Okay, um, first off, calm down. That letter is way more important than you realize, and you can't just flay it around like it's a scrap piece of paper, alright?" he said calmly, his voice barely above a whisper. I let out a sadistic chuckle.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't." I snarled. I feinted ripping it and Natsu let out a strangled yelp. When he realized it was a feint, he breathed a sigh of relief and rose his hands in surrender. I couldn't help but enjoy how he was at my mercy at this moment. I was going to savor this moment because I wasn't sure if I would ever have a moment like it again.

"Okay, I'll tell you everything, just please calm down." He sighed, lifting his eyes to meet my burning ones. He seemed taken aback about how angry I was. Not that he shouldn't have been surprised. I was literally at the end of my rope, keeping myself together. I wanted to go on a tirade of destruction, but I knew I had to keep it together. I pictured my father's face and summoned every inch of self-control I had left.

"That letter is an agreement sent by the Fullbusters to give us the okay to raid you family. It was us, okay? We raided your home and killed your father. We kidnapped you for our own pleasure. You weren't even part of the deal. In fact, the Fullbusters wanted us to kill you too." My eyes widened as I tried to tuck away this new information. Natsu had taken two subtle steps closer to me but u wasn't really paying attention. I knew the Fullbusters were behind this, but just hearing the words aloud made me cringe in realization.

"Why would you do it? What does the Dragon Slayer gang have to gain for raiding my family?" I asked harshly, spitting every word with icy venom. Natsu leaned forward and outstretched his hands like he was trying to calm a wild beast.

"Believe it or not, we needed the money. Lately, we've fallen into a financial hole. Our goal was to take over your company and not only take the Fullbuster's profits, but also the profits from your company. And we could have, if not for one small factor." His eyes flickered to my left hand and I could feel the ring pressed against my skin. I had heard their conversation. I just wanted him to confirm it. "If your darling fiancée had waited one more day, then we would have all the profits we needed and we wouldn't even be in this mess." Natsu's eyes darkened as his obvious anger towards the situation shown in his eyes.

"Why didn't you just kill me, then? Why did you even bother keeping me alive? I was obviously not a part of the plan, so why was I so important that you had to keep me as a slave?" I whispered harshly, my hands trembling. Natsu let out a long breath, as his eyes never left the page I was on the verge of tearing up.

"Keeping you alive was not our plan. We got paid extra by an external source to keep you alive. The source paid a large amount of money that we simply could not refuse. To put words kindly, you were sold to us. We bought you. You are now legally our property, whether you like it, or not." I took in a sharp intake of breath and stepped back, banging my back against the door as Natsu took three steps forward. I threw my left hand behind me and steadied myself on the door, now only holding the paper with one hand. Natsu subtly took another step closer.

"Why is this happening to me?" I whispered, letting vulnerability slip into my voice for the first time. Natsu paused, taken aback. I felt the hysterical tears well up in my eyes and I put my hand to my face, trying to shield my eyes from him. I was embarrassed that I could ever even let him see me like this. Natsu's eyes narrowed and his vision sharpened on my face.

"I don't know who paid you off, but I could take a guess. Who do you know that wants your company, but also cares enough about you that they would keep you alive? It would have to be someone you trusted. Someone you would never doubt. Someone you would say yes to if they asked you to marry them, even if it was for some greater plot." Natsu took two long strides and ended up right in front of me as the news started to sink in. His hands closed around my right hand and I could barely understand what was happening. He was so close to me.

"Don't you think it's a bit convenient that your boyfriend asked you to get engaged, the moment before your company was stripped from you? Now he is in full control of both your companies. Now, he not only owns his vast community, but yours also. He stole his way to the top. And yet, you still wear his ring." I shook my head as Natsu's hand left my own hand, for some reason, my fingers feeling freer and looser than before. Hadn't I been holding something? I couldn't remember.

It's not Gray. It can't be Gray. It was his parents. You said it was his parents. They're the ones who are behind it. Not him. They want power. Not him." I whispered, beginning to ramble. There was no way any of this was true. There was absolutely no way. Natsu bent his head close to my ear.

"Gray's parents are dead." I gasped and stumbled backwards as Natsu opened the door. I fell over and landed on my butt. I covered my hand with my mouth and struggled to breathe properly as all the pieces fell into place. Everything from the day of the grand ball to right now finally made sense. This was all Gray's doing. He killed my father. He paid for me to be taken away. He put me in this hell.

My breaths became short and uneven as my hands trembled, my lips opening and saliva smearing over my face from my hand. I felt weak and broken, like every piece of my body was breaking down. I curled up into a ball and hugged my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth. I started blubbering and panting and I didn't even notice what was going on around me. I couldn't take in a full breath and my heart was palpitating so hard, it hurt.

What was happening to me? Was I dying? It felt like it. It felt like I had been crushed under an imaginary building.

A face appeared in front of me and strong arms wrapped around my body, preventing me from rocking back and forth. That's when the ringing started. It felt like I was having an asthma attack while a shrill ringing in my ears prevented me from hearing anything but my own uneven breaths. Pools of yellow and green swam in front of me. He was talking to me, shouting at me. I couldn't hear anything he was saying and I didn't care. I didn't care, I didn't care, I didn't care…

The last time anyone had comforted me like this was when my mother died. Gray had come over and comforted me then. He had wrapped his strong arms around me and had held me while I cried. He had the same compassion, the same worry on his face. Was it all a lie? How could it have been all a lie? Did our friendship mean nothing to him?

I shook my head over and over again until my neck started to feel sore. He had betrayed me. He had betrayed my trust. This was all his fault. Everything leading up to now had been nothing but a plot to gain power and money. I couldn't even figure out of I was scared, angry or terrified. Nothing was making sense to me as thoughts bustled through my head, not giving me any time to sort them out. I could feel the lump in my throat, constricting it and making it harder and harder to breathe.

That's when I started bawling. The last of my sanity and self-control flew out of the window and I started to wail and sob, without thinking about the consequences. I realized that this may have been an overreaction on my part, but I couldn't seem to get my body to stop. I kept trying to force myself to calm down, but that just made me more hysterical. Finally finding out that the cause of my father's death and my suffering was for nothing but money was not going over well for me.

I don't even remember what happened. All I knew that I was hurting all over, inside and out, until I finally allowed the darkness to take me into blissful unconsciousness.

I woke up with a pounding headache. I groaned and squeezed my eyes closed as the pain felt like it was splitting my head. At first, I couldn't remember anything about what had happened. I couldn't remember why I had a headache or if it was caused by something. The pain was too much for me to handle. It was the only thing I could focus on. I let out a shrill cry as I tried to sit up and my head's already excruciating pain shot up from a five to a ten.

Suddenly, I felt a cool material on my lips. I recognized it as a glass of water. My hands shot out from under what felt like sheets and I grasped the glass, lifting it to my lips and downing the water. The pain in my head subsided slightly and my vision started to clear. I could see two familiar faces staring down at me in apprehension and worry. I coughed and pushed myself to a seated position as the two figures reached over to help me get comfortable.

"Milliana? Juvia? What are you doing here?" I whispered, groaning slightly as I placed my cold hand to my burning forehead. Milliana's cat-like eyes hovered in front of my face as she placed a damp towel to my head. Juvia took the glass of water away and placed it on the bedside table.

"Lucy, thank God, you're okay." Juvia whispered, grasping my hand. She sighed, pressing her lips to my palm. "You had a severe panic attack. Master Natsu asked the gang doctor to come take a look at you. He gave you some sedatives and managed to stabilize your heart and your brain activity. You've been out for two days. Master Natsu asked us to look after you." She explained softly.

"Two days?" I whispered, trying to wrap my head around the news. I groaned as my head started throbbing again. Milliana pressed some white pills to my lips and I swallowed them, not even waiting for a glass of water. I was still trying to muddle through all my thoughts. Why had I passed out? Why had I had a panic attack? What had been so emotionally taxing that my sanity had disappeared?

"I-I've had panic attacks before." I whispered quietly. "They've never felt like that. They are scary and it feels like you're dying, but this? This was something else entirely."

I gasped as my eyes flew open. Memories came rushing back and everything that had happened before I blacked out became clear in my mind. I had found out the truth of why I was here. I had found out the truth of why I was suffering. I knew who killed my father and I also knew their motive. It had crushed me. Everything I thought I knew was a lie. Everyone I thought I trusted turned out to be traitors. My hands started to shake as I felt the cold metal still wrapped around my left hand's finger.

"I'm going to go tell Master Natsu that you've woken up. He ordered me to let him know the moment you did. I'll be back soon." Milliana said, standing up. I was barely paying attention to her as I pulled the ring off my finger and stared at it. She exited the room as Juvia stared at the ring in my hand.

"That's a beautiful ring." She whispered. My eyes flickered to her face as she stared at the ring in longing. "You are very lucky to have someone who loves you enough to give you something like that." I closed my fist around the ring as anger began to bubble up within me.

"No, I'm really not." I croaked hoarsely. "I thought I was. I thought I could trust the man who gave me this with my life. I was wrong." I gritted my teeth and squeezed my fist around the metal, feeling it dig into my skin. Juvia looked at me in confusion.

In a fit of anger, I cocked my arm back and launched the ring across the room where it smacked against the wall and clattered to the ground.

 _Natsu_

I ran alongside the brown-haired slave through the halls. When she had told me that my buttercup had finally woken up, I didn't hesitate. I left my meeting without any explanation. I didn't think about the consequences such an act could bring but I really didn't care. I still couldn't banish the memory of her curled up on the floor, her face as white as sheet and her big brown eyes a frenzy of every negative emotion possible.

When I had told her all I did, I only meant to stun her a little bit so I could get the letter back from her. I did get the letter back while she was frozen, trying to wrap her head around the news I had given her. But I soon realized that I couldn't use it anyway. The coffee stains on it had damaged it too much. You could barely see any ink at all on it let alone anything that would resemble an agreement.

I had never meant for it to take such a toll on her. I had crouched down next to her and enveloped her in my arms yelling at her, hoping that she'd hear me. She couldn't hear me and I wasn't even sure if she could see me. Her wails and sobs still sent chills down my spine and when she finally passed out, I had no idea what to do. I couldn't even tell if she was dying.

I pushed the door to my chambers open and came face to face with the blue-haired slave who had become Lucy's friend. She looked at me with stricken eyes, glancing behind her at Lucy's door. I frowned at her expression.

"How is she?" I asked quietly, taking a step towards the door. Juvia gulped and looked away. She was nervous about something, that much was certain. Was something wrong with my buttercup? Did something happen?

"S-she's healthy, sir." The slave breathed, ducking her head down and backing away from me. I glanced at the two slaves. The blue-haired girl exchanged a look with her friend. Something was not right.

I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned it. I opened the door slowly and took a step inside. I was greeted with Lucy standing at the foot of her bed, her head ducked down in submission. She was wearing different clothes from her wardrobe and her hands were clasped in front of her. My eyes darted to the side of her room where I saw her engagement ring, discarded on the floor. I glanced back at her and stepped further inside, shutting the door behind me.

"It's good to see you're alive, buttercup." I said, smiling slightly. I was expecting a snarky response. Instead, I got the exact opposite. She curtsied slightly, bowing her head and continued to stare at the floor, her hands together, palms facing out. That was her response. Nothing more. She didn't say anything. Something was very wrong.

"How are you feeling?" I asked slowly, narrowing my eyes at her new body language. She took a breath and opened her mouth to speak. Nothing could have prepared me for what she said next.

"It does not matter, Master. I am well again. I am sorry for the way I've been behaving as of late. I can assure you, you will see no more outbursts from me. You are the master, and I am the slave. And I know now that there is nothing I can do to change it. Your word is my command."

Then she curtsied again, all the fire that was once in her voice extinguished and instead replaced with absolute submission.

 ** _Dun dun dun... Okay! This was one of the last what I've been calling 'intro' chapters. Nothing has really happened as of late except you know finding out about who killed her father and adjusting to her new life as a slave._**

 ** _Get ready, because next chapters will have new characters and new action that's going to take this book up up and away! (I hope)..._**

 ** _Please leave a review if you enjoyed and tell me what you think will happen next! (Or what you want to happen next!)_**

 ** _Quick side-note: I try my best to respond to all your comments in one way or another, so that I feel like the comments are coming from a person and not a machine. So if you want me to respond, use your account to review. If not, I can't thank you or answer your questions! (If I don't get to your comment, it's probably because I haven't seen it yet, or I've responded to one of your comments in the past)_**


	12. 11: A Game of Words

_**Somebody give me high-five. Two updates in less than a week?! Yes, I did it. This week i had more time on my hands (not really, i just stopped caring about homework). I'm already ready for summer. This is going to be a long year...**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Chapter 11: A Game of Words

 _Natsu_

Days later, we were nowhere near closer to getting rid of the debt hanging over our head. The lesser gangs were getting cocky. We were facing more and more outbreaks from the lower ranks. I had already sent Sting and Rogue to handle them but they hadn't come back yet. Laxus and his team had gone to the lower country to deal with the rebellious portion of our gang. We were cracking and soon, if we weren't careful, our entire system could collapse.

I was stressed out. Lord Zeref was gone trying to seal a deal with our rivals. I was in charge of the mansion and everyone in it. That included our new guest. The daughter of the CEO of the company we owed was here in the mansion right now. I hadn't even met her yet. I had sent Gajeel off to look after her. She was supposed to negotiate options with us. But that wasn't really why she was here.

It was my plan. My father also jumped for joy when I explained it to him. He looked so proud of me. Lately though, I've felt less and less proud of myself every time I'm able to fix something. I've felt worse about my father being proud of me. In fact, I've been feeling like it's something I shouldn't be striving for. I knew my duty to this gang. I knew that I would have to become its next lord, but I wasn't sure if I even wanted that anymore.

For as long as I could remember, I've always been in awe of my father. He was strong and powerful and people bowed at his wake. I wanted to be like that. To have people fear me so much that they would bend over their backs just to do my bidding. I loved the idea of being so powerful that no one dared to touch you. I strived to be just like him. The only thing I couldn't see until I was much older was how much humanity I would have to let go of to become that powerful.

I would have to forget about friendship or love. I had to be cruel, merciless, and ruthless. And I thought I could do it. I thought I could push away any human emotion and become a stone cold gang lord with no regard for anyone or anything. I didn't realize until a few years ago that there was no way I could be completely cold. I couldn't simply turn my cheek when someone was being punished in front of me, or worse, if I was the one doing the punishing. Over the years, I've gotten used to hide the sick feeling in my stomach, but I've never been able to get rid of it completely.

And I don't think I ever will.

I couldn't remember that last time I had slept. I had spent all-nighters trying to correct my mistakes, or the mistakes of my team. I was angry all the time. I snapped at everyone and felt more on edge than usual. For some reason, everyone and everything was getting on my nerves. Even Wendy, who is the only one who could ever get through to me, only spouted out annoying crap that did not help at all. She had even called me out on my irritable attitude but I had paid her no attention.

The one person who hadn't annoyed me once was one room away. And for some reason, that was the most annoying part about it. Lucy had barely said two words to me since she woke up from her panic attack. She kept her head down and kept minimal interaction with me. She did her chores and then escaped to the slave quarters for the rest of the day. She now addressed me as Master or Sir. She was the perfect submissive.

I tried to get the old her back by teasing her, insulting her lightly, I even went as far as to threaten her a bit. I had roughly grabbed her arm and ordered her to speak openly with me. She simply gave me a blank loo and waited patiently for me to let go. And I did. I didn't know what else I was supposed to do. I could just demand that she stop being this shell of a human. I knew she was still resentful, if not more so now that she knew we were responsible for her father's death.

I think the thing that killed her was the betrayal of the person she thought she trusted. Now she's got it in her head that she can't trust anyone and she shouldn't let anyone in because they will just betray her in the end. It's a good strategy, one I've used a lot, but it's not so obvious on me. I don't let people get close, but I let them think they are getting closer. She just puts up a wall.

Today, I had to meet with the daughter to show her around the castle. Of course, I was only going t show her the areas she was allowed to venture in. I would not show her any rooms where she could stir trouble. She was not here on her own accord. She was here on ours. And as much as she thought she had the upper-hand, she didn't. I had to make that clear to her today.

I glanced out of the window as I pulled on my one-armed vest and buttoned it up to the top. I needed my game face today. I had to hold in all my irritable behavior and turn into a polite, but firm gang lord. I could do this. This was nothing compared to the other things I've had to do over the past couple of years.

I frowned, turning my head towards Lucy's door. I was getting nervous about her behavior. I had racked my brains thinking about whys he would suddenly flip the switch. Besides the obvious choice, I could only come up with one answer. She was planning an escape. I knew I had to keep her in my sight at all times. I couldn't have her going off on her own anymore. The last couple of nights, I've locked her door. I couldn't take any chances.

If she even thought about escape and my father caught wind of it… she thought she was suffering now…

I took a deep breath and walked to her door. I banged on it twice.

"Buttercup! Get out here!" I ordered. I waited for a few second before the door opened and her blond head shuffled inside, eyes cast to the floor. I couldn't even see the brown. All I could see was her eyelids. She curtsied politely and clasped her hands in front of her. I rolled my eyes, feeling irritable again. I felt like snapping at her. I calmed my breathing and turned away, so I wouldn't have to look at her broken form.

"You're coming with me. We're meeting an important guest. Don't speak unless you are spoken to. If she asks you for anything, get it for her immediately. Am I clear?" I didn't look back at her but I could almost see her bowing her head in respect and acknowledgement. It really only felt like a knife to the gut.

I gritted my teeth, leaving the room with her close behind me. My eyes were focused in front of me, my legs automatic as they took me through the halls and down the stairs. My head, however, was all over the place. Mostly, it was thinking about the girl behind me. She had taken the transition from princess to slave extremely well. Anybody else in her position would have probably had a mental breakdown by now. Even if she did stumble a little but, here she was, alive and kicking. It took a hell of a lot of self-control. I wasn't sure if I could do it in her position.

If I was in her position, people would be dead. I kept that in mind as I listened to the short clicking of her heels.

Finally, we reached what I liked to call the Great Hall of our mansion. It was the hall that led to the grand double door entrance. Standing in the middle where two people. One of them was a man I recognized as Gajeel. I had to glance at him twice to make sure it was him because he was wearing a smart suit. He never wore suits. Confusion passed through me but I ignored it. He could have been wearing that suit for a number of reasons.

The second person next to him was the one I needed to focus on. She was a young women with short blue hair, pulled back in a bob. She was wearing a smart gown and long gloves that completed her look of 'princess'. She had deep brown eyes and light skin. Her lips were ruby red and they were pursed in a thin line. As we walked closer, she acknowledged me by narrowing her eyes slightly. She was petite, barely over five feet tall, but she was extremely intimidating. I felt like I needed to straighten my nonexistent tie.

As we approached, I noticed Gajeel's annoyed and uncomfortable position, his arms crossed pulling at his collar. How he agreed to where the suit, I would never know. I couldn't even get him to wear a nice jacket, let alone an entire tuxedo. I turned my attention to the lady and stooped to a respectful bow when we reached her. She didn't bow her head, or anything, she simply lowered her eyelids as a form of greeting before lifting them again.

"My lady, I'm so happy you've arrived safely. My name is Natsu Dragneel and I am the lord of this household, my father being none other than Lord Zeref himself. I trust your arrival went smoothly?" I asked respectfully. The Lady clasped her hands in front of her and have me a sly smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"I know very well who you are, Master Natsu. Thank you for allowing me to stay in your humble home. However, with all due respect, I don't believe this brute you entrusted me with will be necessary." She didn't even acknowledge Gajeel but he huffed and rolled his eyes. I gave him a warning look and turned back to the lady, forcing a smile on my face.

"I do apologize if he has been difficult. I can assure you, he will be dealt with accordingly." I cast a glance at Gajeel who gave me a scowl. "However, I must insist that he remain with you at all times. Gajeel is one of our best fighters. He is here for you protection." The lady's indifferent smile broadened as she cast a glance behind me.

"As I said, his protection won't be necessary." I turned to see where she was looking and lay my eyes on two men clad in black at the back of the hall. They both looked at me with harsh glares and I recognized the crest on their left chests. They were the lady's personal guards. I knew that she wasn't stupid enough to come on her own, I just didn't think she would bring two highly trained bodyguards to come with her.

"Gajeel is our protection. I'm sure your men are very capable, but I must insist that Gajeel accompany you anyway, he knows his way around the castle better than anyone and get help you escape at any time should you need to. But please understand, this castle is very well fortified and an instance such as this will not happen during your stay, I can assure you of that." The lady simply smirked, lifting her chin.

"With all due respect, no fort is without its flaws." I had no response and felt slightly taken aback. Was that an indirect threat? I couldn't tell. Her expression told me nothing, her polite smile masked all other emotions. She reminded me of the girl standing behind me when she first arrived. Calm, serene, and trying her hardest to keep herself from losing it.

However, the only difference was that the lady was conniving. I wouldn't put it past her to have more men in the building, probably watching all of us. I knew that the lady was anything but stupid and that she carefully planned her visit to where she wanted it. The fact that she was trying to get rid of Gajeel so badly only proved my point. So I had to make sure Gajeel remained with her to keep an eye on her. If I didn't, there was no telling what she would plan.

"I'll make you a compromise." I blinked, realizing that she had taken a step closer to me. Now she was looking up at me, but I still felt extremely intimidated. "I'll allow this brute to accompany me, so long as you find me a suitable female companion." I breathed a sigh of relief that this was all she wanted. I expected the worst.

"Of course, one of my most trusted advisors, Wendy, would be more than happy to—"

"You misunderstand me, master Natsu. I don't want one of your advisors. I want someone who can come to me if ever I need something, who will run errand for me, who will send and take messages for me. A companion, yes, but I would also like a servant." She glanced behind me and I knew who she was referring to. I swallowed the bile in my throat as I turned to look at buttercup. She was staring at the lady through her lashes. We made eye contact for a split-second and her gaze returned to the floor.

"Those are my terms. If you do not agree, then I will not hesitate to leave at once and forbid my father from negotiating with you. I'm sure that's the last thing you want. So… do we have an arrangement?" I inhaled sharply, hating the position I was in at the moment. For some reason, allowing the two girls to be together was not the best idea in the world to me. They thought too much alike and they were too compatible for my liking. But I knew I had no choice.

"Very well. Lucy, this is the Lady Levy. Please assist her in anything she may need." I said softly as Lucy nodded her head respectfully and curtsied, walking over to Levy's side. Lady Levy smiled broadly.

"Thank you, Master Natsu. I'm sure my stay here will be very beneficial to both our families." With that, she turned and strode away with her entourage following closely behind her.

I watched the go, slightly conflicted. I had a feeling I had just made a huge mistake regarding those two. Something told me that they would bring on a world of pain for me and my gang. I just hope they didn't get scarred in the process.

 _ **Introduced a new character! Leave a comment if you think I integrated her well. I can only imagine what kind of trouble these two are going to get into.**_

 _ **Also, I think this is the first chapter that has been in complete Natsu POV. Weird and random fact.**_


	13. 12: A New Ally

_**Welcome back friends! Last chapter you met Lady Levy for the first time. Now you get to see what her character is all about. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 12: A New Ally

 _Lucy_

I followed the petite woman with the scary man in the suit right behind me. I was so confused about what had just happened. This woman had just taken me away from Natsu and I wasn't sure if she did it because she was cruel or compassionate. From the instance she spoke to Natsu, I knew I liked her immediately. She was smart and sly and easily put Natsu and the brutish man behind her in their place. Even though she was small, she probably sent fear down both of their spines.

She easily threatened Natsu calmly and called him and his family weak without saying it directly. I wished that I could do the same thing without losing my temper. I had been taught since birth to do what this woman had done, but it felt like all the lessons I had been taught had been thrown out the window when I arrived here.

I kept my head down as the Lady Levy led me and the man to the terrace that led out into the gardens. I had never known that the mansion had a garden and my breath hitched at the notion of feeling fresh air again after so long. I had lost track of how long I had been here, but I knew that it had been a few weeks. My eyes narrowed as I saw the bright sun shining through the trees. I didn't realize how much I missed the outside. Before we could step outside, however, the brutish man, who Natsu called Gajeel, stopped up by putting his hand out in front of the Lady.

"We're not going out there." He said bluntly. The Lady's eyes flashed and she turned to him, giving him a look that had bigger men cowering. Gajeel threw his arms up in frustration. "Don't look at me like that, shrimp. You're the one who made me wear this stuffy suit in the first place. I'm not going out there to die of heat. You want to go out there, then I get to take off this stupid suit."

"Don't you dare. I will not be followed by some uncivilized savage. If you are so inclined to remain inside, then you may do so. I am going outside whether you like it or not. You can either follow me with the suit on or remain here. It's your choice." She turned to me and beckoned for me to follow her. "Come along." I ducked my head down, trying to ignore the colorful string of curses coming from the man's mouth.

I had to hide in a giggle as I followed the lady outside, leaving him seething in the doorway. She led me to a bench under a tree. I tried to savor the moment of the warm sunshine bathing my skin and the fresh air penetrating my nose for what seemed like the first time in years. I closed my eyes and breathed in, loving this feeling. I would have to ask Natsu if I could do chore out in the garden sometimes.

She sat down and I suddenly felt very awkward. She made it clear that I was nothing more than her servant and speaking companion. Was I allowed to sit in the bench next to her or was I supposed to stand behind her holding an umbrella or something. A lump formed in my throat as I thought about how less than a month ago, I wouldn't have hesitated to sit next to her. I may even have started the conversation for her. It was amazing how much this life could change a person. I thought I was strong. I was dead wrong.

"Lucy, darling, please sit." The lady said kindly, patting the spot beside her. I cautiously took my place, placing my hands firmly in my lap. I didn't look her in the eyes as she sighed and leaned her head back. "It feels nice out here, doesn't it? Much better than that stuffy mansion." I said nothing and continued to stare at the floor. Levy chuckled and placed her hand on my shoulder making me jump slightly.

"Lucy, you can speak your mind. I asked Natsu to allow you to come with me because you looked awfully miserable standing next to him. Please know that I don't expect anything of you except a good conversation." She cracked a true smile and I turned my head to her with wide eyes. I opened my eyes and stared into her deep brown eyes, trying to see if this was truly someone I could trust.

"Did I really look that miserable?" I asked quietly. Levy giggled and smiled broadly. She pulled her long white gloves off and placed them next to her as I found myself smiling as well. Her laughter really was contagious.

"You looked like you were walking through hell itself." She said, smiling kindly. I blushed and looked away. Suddenly, she gasped and leaned forward to look into my eyes. I turned back to look at her, confused by her sudden move. She stared intently in my eyes as her own eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"I know you from somewhere." She whispered slowly. I gulped. How did she know me? Did she know Lucy Heartfilia? Did I want her to know me? She clapped her hands and pointed at my face, recognition flashing in her serene eyes. "I know! You're Lucy Heartfilia! Heir to the Heartfilia Corp!" She breathed out and shook her head, still staring at me with wide eyes. I looked away and felt the tears well up in my eyes. She knew who I was and yet it didn't matter. I could have been anyone and it wouldn't have mattered. I was still stuck here.

"The whole world thinks you're dead." My eyes flashed and I looked at her in shock. She was looking at me in worry and apprehension. I knew deep down that no one was looking for me, but I had no idea that they thought I was dead. I just thought they would classify me as missing or something. My heart clenched as Levy's hand wrapped around mine.

"I'm sorry. Truly, I am. I can assure you if there was anything I could do, I would do it in an instant." I tried to give her a reassuring smile, but I was pretty sure it looked more like a grimace. Levy looked away, I figured because she didn't know what else to say. But when I looked at her, I saw her eyes darting around the garden as if she were looking for something specific.

"Do you want to know why I brought you out here?" Levy asked suddenly. I gave her a pointed look and she smiled turned her head to look at me. "This is the only place in the entire mansion where they cannot see or hear us. No cameras, no audio devices, nothing that they can use to monitor us." My lips parted as I too began to look around.

"They can't hear anything we say? Nothing at all?" I asked, peering back at the door we came from, seeing Gajeel angrily tapping his foot. Levy shook her head, smirking cunningly. I felt an overwhelming sense of freedom, like I could do or say anything in that moment and no one would ever know. Levy grasped my hand and I turned to see her staring at me intently. I was startled as all amusement was wiped from her face.

"Please listen to me. I needed to warn someone. I know that my days here are numbered. They won't let me go free of my own free will, that much I am certain of. When the time is right, they will use me as blackmail against my father and I will die. But I need to know that my work here is not in vain. Please, you must help me. You are Natsu's personal servant, you can give me the information I need." I stared at her in disbelief. What she was talking about was unbelievable. They couldn't kill her just like that. Especially when they needed her.

"Lady Levy, I don't know of what use I could possibly be. I want to help you, truly, but what could I possibly do?" Levy breathed a sigh of relief and shook her head.

"All I need you to do is keep your eyes open. I'm working with very important people outside of the mansion and I can guarantee that if everything works out, all the slaves will be free and the masters will be put behind bars for the rest of their lives. Can you do this for me? Please, if you can't, I understand, but do not breathe a word of this to anyone."

In her little speech, I saw the desperation and vulnerability in her voice. She needed me. She needed anyone she could get. She was terrified and was taking a huge risk, but she didn't care. She was putting her own life on the line.

"Of course I'll do this for you. I'll do whatever it takes to take this gang down." I said firmly, squeezing her hands, she gave me a relieved smile and sighed, straightening her back.

"Thank you, Lucy. Now, shall we return to the brute? I'm sure he's getting quite frustrated with us." She gave me a cheeky smile and stood up. I cracked a smile of my own and nodded, standing to follow her out.

Three days later, Levy and I had become fast friends. I went over to her rooms as much as I could, mostly to get away from Natsu and his impending anger. Natsu had become more and more short-tempered at everything. He was stressed out, that much I could see. He never cracked jokes anymore. There was a dark aura around him all the time and I felt so scared whenever I was in his presence like he could snap at any minute.

The funny thing was that I wasn't afraid of what he would do to me, I was afraid of what he could do to himself.

I kept emotionless and submissive around him, not wanted to provoke him even more, but he just seemed twice as angry when I did what he asked. The relationship we once had when I could call him 'cupcake' and he would smile at me with his white teeth was gone. Now we barely spoke. Most of that my fault. I didn't speak to him even when he spoke to me. I was done with fighting something that I couldn't prevent.

Now the only time I really felt like myself was when I was with Levy. We spoke freely, we laughed together, and we told jokes. They still hadn't brought her in for negotiations but she didn't seem fazed. She must have known that she wasn't going to get to negotiate while she was here. She was a true light in a tunnel of darkness. We were playing cards when the conversation we had had the first day we met came up again.

"So tell me about your master." She said suddenly as I drew another card. I glanced up at her and she gave me a pointed look. I sighed and thought about how I wanted to answer this question. I looked up and pictured his face in my head.

"He's very unpredictable. Sometimes, he can be a child and he'll laugh and joke like we're back in elementary school. But then other times, he's emotionless and cruel. I've seen him drunk once before and I was terrified by what I saw. This was a man deeply troubled and I didn't know what to do. The times that I have been sick, he's cared for me with tender caring. Then I am hurt on display and he simply watches with no regard to my feelings. I see him care for others and then at the same time, I see him caring for no one but himself. I can't explain how he really is because I really don't know. All I know is that he could have killed me several times before and he chose not to. And I can't tell if that's a good thing or not." I sighed and placed a card down on the deck. I looked up seeing Levy smirking at me.

"Lucy?" She asked, laying her card down. I scrunched up my eyes, thinking about my next move. I put down a card as Levy sighed and folded her hand, allowing me to take that round. She dealt the next round as I gave her a questioning look.

"Yes?" I asked. Levy smirked and looked up at me with mischievous eyes.

"That's not at all what I meant." I took in a sharp breath as she covered her mouth with her hand. "All I meant was tell me about what he does all day. But you had quite the opinion on him, didn't you? Is there something you haven't admitted to yourself?" My cheeks warmed as I looked at her grin, not at all liking the look on her face.

"Oh, well, I didn't understand you. And I don't know what you mean." I looked away as Levy giggled again. I gave her a pointed look. She shook her head and shrugged.

"Oh, nothing, just that you seem to think about him a lot more than the average person." I rolled my eyes and looked away.

"That doesn't mean anything. He's my master. My world literally revolves around him. There isn't a time when I _can't_ think about him." I retorted, feeling my cheeks blush harder. This wasn't really affecting me the way I thought it was. I wasn't actually embarrassed to be accused of potentially liking the brute of a master. He had been the cause of all my struggles since the beginning.

He was the one who hit me, who laughed at me, who threatened me, who yelled at me, who didn't listen to anything I had to say. He had made this place a living hell. There was no way I could possibly find any pleasure in his smile, or the way his eye lit up when he smirked. There was no way I could even think of enjoying the way he called me 'buttercup'. I hated that nickname. There was no way I could even dream of liking his gentle, but strong grasp as he held me when I was on the verge of losing it.

There was no way at all…

 ** _Leave a review! Thank you for all your support!_**


	14. 13: Breakthrough

_**Snap crackle pop, I'm back again! Please enjoy!**_

Chapter 13: Breakthrough

 _Lucy_

That afternoon, I left Levy's room in a haze of thoughts. She hadn't pressed me further, but I still felt mortified and humiliated. I had reacted much worse than I thought possible. Did I actually have feelings for Natsu? How was that even possible? It was true, I found myself thinking about him for most of my time nowadays. But that was only because I _had_ to think about him, right? My mind didn't unconsciously think about him did it?

Here I was, walking back to the rooms, feeling oddly excited. It felt like I was in the middle of an adrenaline rush even though I had done nothing to warrant such a rush. I ran my fingers along the wall as I pictured Natsu's face in my mind. I dispelled his anger and frustration that he had been wearing for the past couple of days and replaced it with a grin. I pictures his sharp, white teeth and the way his eyes sparkled with amusement and laughter. I sighed internally.

This was an ordinary reaction. He was a very attractive young man who had been nice to me on several occasions. In any other circumstance, I would be reacting the same way. His muscles were a sight to behold and his fiery yellow-green eyes could have any girl swooning. It was only a stupid crush. It was an infatuation, a school-girl crush. I would get over it in no time at all. I had had many infatuations before, including Gray himself, and this one was no different.

I still remember when Gray and I had first met. I had expected a snobby, spoiled brat, but instead I received a prince-like figure with drool-worthy looks. Gray was built like a Greek god and I knew that it would have been abnormal for me not to have a crush on him at some point. During the first year, I was a hypnotized little girl who always wanted to please him. I wanted him to notice me because he was so attractive. Yes, it was shallow and stupid, but it was inevitable. I had gotten over it almost instantly after the first year.

My 'feelings' for Natsu were no different. As soon as I escaped, as soon as I got out of this hell, I would forget all about him. He would only be a bad nightmare. A fleeting memory I would think about I would have from time to time over my next forty years. Nothing of importance. Nothing lasting. When I was old, I would tell this story to my children about how I had helped locked the bad men in jail. There would be no regret, no questions of 'what if…'?

What if I was just a girl and he was just a boy? What if I wasn't the slave and he wasn't the master? What if things had turned out differently?

None of that…

I was so immersed in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed where I was going. I ended up in the hallways that would either take me to the main hall or the slave quarters. I blinked, peering around me. I internally cursed myself, knowing that I had been walking in the opposite direction of where I needed to go. I turned to start walking in the correct direction when I heard a call from behind me.

"Lucy!" I turned around to see Lisanna with another woman with long white hair and blue eyes, identical to Lisanna. She ran to meet me with the woman jogging behind her. I smiled as she embraced me quickly. She pulled back and gestured to the woman with her.

"This is my older sister Mirajane. She's Master Laxus' personal serf." Mirajane smiled and shook my hand. I smiled back, instantly liking her. She was several years older than me and Lisanna but she still had a childish spark in her eyes. Her cool blue eyes were full of kindness and gentleness that I hadn't seen in anyone in quite a while.

"So you're Lord Natsu's personal serf. It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard all sorts of rumors about you." She said cheekily, grinning, her eyes twinkling. I blushed and shook my head.

"I bet most of the rumors were false, but thanks. I'm actually supposed to go back, but I got sidetracked." I explained, jerking my thumb behind me. Mirajane laughed and nodded her head.

"It's so easy to get lost in this place. I've been here for years and I still couldn't tell you exactly how to get to my own master's chambers." She said cheerfully.

"Mira just got back from one of Laxus' missions. You said they brought back a girl right? It looks like you're not the newbie anymore, Lucy." Lisanna said. I frowned, peering at both of them. A new slave? Could they afford a new one? They already had enough trouble with me as it was, how could they just bring in a new one just like that?

"She's actually not a slave. She's a prisoner, but Lord Zeref wanted her to labor with the rest of us instead of sitting in the dungeons. She's with Lord Zeref right now and I can only imagine the number of scars she'll have when she gets out." Mira said softly. I gulped, thinking about what had happened to Erza. I knew how cruel Zeref could be. If what Mira said was true, I knew that this girl was not going to walk without a limp anytime soon.

"That really sucks. I'm so sorry." I said softly. Mira smiled, but didn't look fazed.

"There's really nothing to apologize for. You can't do anything about it, and neither can I, so might as well let life take its course, right?" She said. I smiled and nodded. I turned to look at Lisanna who was staring at me, her lips parted slightly.

"Lucy… you've only been here for a couple of weeks right?" she said, breathless. I nodded, slightly confused. "The last time anyone mentioned any form of injustice to you, you spouted a fire that I had never witnessed before. You had such a passion for changing the course of the future and you made me believe that there was hope for us slaves to escape. The Lucy I knew would have never just accepted something like this. How much have they changed you?" I pursed my lips and took in a sharp breath.

Before I could respond or even react to her words, a shrill shriek rang over the hall, piercing my eardrums with fire. I gasped and whirled around, staring at the direction it had come from. I looked back at Lisanna and Mirajane who were giving me the same look of complete and utter astonishment and a slight hint of fear. I turned back around as a flack of servants began to run towards the source of the scream, murmuring to each other, everyone in a flurry of panic. I began to jog after them, following the crowd out to the main hall.

I pushed my way through the large semi-circle of slaves that was forming. I reached the front of the semi-circle and stared wide-eyed at the scene in front of me. On the other side of the hall, all the masters, including Natsu and his entourage, were standing with their hands clasped behind their backs, looks of harsh indifference on their faces. In front of them, in the center of the circle, Lord Zeref was standing over a girl with dark brown hair and brown eyes who was laying on the ground with a bloody back.

Zeref raised his whip and snapped it down, opening another bloody gash in the poor girl's back. She let out another piercing yell, and I felt my knees buckle. I was frozen in place as Zeref kicked her down so that she was on her stomach instead of her knees. The side of her head was bleeding and she was only wearing a bikini top and capris pants. My heart clenched and my hands started shaking with fear.

She yelped again as he snapped the whip down again. I stepped backwards, colliding with the person behind me. An overwhelming amount of fear rose within me as I stared at the horrible scene enveloping in front of me. I stood paralyzed in place, unable to do anything but stare. I didn't want to get involved. I didn't want to get hurt like she was getting hurt. I felt an overwhelming pass of sadness for her, but I still stood rotted to the spot.

I lifted my head and locked eyes with Natsu across the room. He was giving me a strained look. His eyes were screaming but the rest of his face was completely calm. He was trapped, just like I was. Immobilized, unable to do anything but watch. He was a caged animal and he accepted it. He had already bowed his head in surrender and allowed the chains to hold him in place. He had stopped struggling long ago. Could I say the same for myself?

Suddenly, a shock went through my body as Lisanna's voice echoed I my head: _How much have they changed you?_ I realized then that she was absolutely right. The Lucy then would have stepped in to stop this injustice. She would have felt anger, white hot fury, not this paralyzing terror. Had I really changed this much? Was I really so different that I could no longer stand up for a helpless person. Did I even like this change about me?

I watched as Zeref smirked and kicked the girl in the side. He was enjoying this. He was enjoying every second of torture. He loved the way she screamed. He loved the audience that had formed. He loved that he could put so much fear over everyone that shook them to the core. He thought he was all powerful. He was proving that he was all powerful. Was I just going to allow him to think that? Was I just going to stand there doing absolutely nothing as he tortured the innocent?

 _You just stood there! You coward! You could have done something! She was suffering! He was torturing her! Why didn't any of you do anything? Why did you just stand there? You could have stopped him! He was killing her and you did nothing! He could have killed her and yet you still would have done nothing._

 _None of you will do anything because all you care about is yourselves. You don't give a shit for a poor defenseless girl who has no choice but to fight with nothing but her bare hands against people who will kill her if she takes a step out of line. I don't understand how any of you can live with yourselves._

My own words echoed in my brain as I stared right at Natsu with an intensity that I couldn't fathom. This was not who I was. I was not a coward. I would not allow this injustice to follow through. They could do whatever they wanted to me. They could flay me alive, they could whip me for hours on end. But I would be _damned_ if I allowed someone to be tortured in front of me by a man with no remorse.

A new found energy surging in me, I bolted forward, diving in front of the girl and raising my arm as Zeref snapped the whip down again. I grimaced as the whip snapped y forearm, opening a gash in my skin. Silence followed as Zeref stepped back with an amused smile on his face. I stood up, clutching my arm to my chest.

"Stop this." I whispered menacingly. "You're killing her." Zeref laughed as I knelt and stroked the girls shoulder. She turned her head to focus her big brown eyes on me. She gave me a panicked look as I unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it off my body, leaving me in nothing but my undershirt. I wrapped my shirt around her shoulders as she pushed herself onto her knees. She gave me a look of gratitude as I stood up to face Zeref again, my body in front of the girl's protecting her from Zeref's wrath.

"It's no less than she deserves, little girl." Zeref said calmly. "No one gets away with trying to make a fool out of me. Now if you please…" he spread his arms out, shaking the bloody whip. "You are in the way of my punishment. I would advise you to move." I stood my ground, even though I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole hall could hear how loud it was beating.

"She doesn't deserve this, no matter what she's done. I will not move. You'll have go through me if you want her." Zeref laughed again, sending chills down my spine. He took a step closer to me and my breath hitched. He smirked, shaking his head.

"Natsu!" he yelled. I gulped as Natsu stepped forward.

"Sir?"

"I thought you said your little pet had been tamed quite thoroughly."

"This is her first outburst in quite some time, my lord, I can assure you that—"

"You can assure me of nothing. Obviously, you didn't do as thorough a job as you claimed. I am getting quite sick of your little mishaps." Zeref snapped. Natsu bowed his head in shame. I felt a twinge of guilt but I pushed it away. Nothing would persuade me to move at this moment.

"I suppose I'll have to tame her myself." I gulped as Zeref turned his attention back to me. "I'll make you a compromise, little girl. You can stand your ground and allow me to torture you until you go blind, but I will move on to the prisoner after I'm finished with her. Or, you can please me by submitting your loyalty in the one way I know you'll mean it." I sucked in a quick breath as he lifted his chin dramatically.

"Kiss my shoes." My cheeks warmed as my eyes flickered down at his boots. I couldn't make this better. I could have to get on my stomach to do it. I looked away, already feeling humiliated.

I took a deep breath and swallowed my pride. This was my only option. I turned my head back and looked Zeref right in the eyes who was smirking at me. I turned my head to see Juvia and Milliana both staring at me with wide eyes. I turned the other way to Natsu staring at the ground. I took a deep breath and kneeled on the ground in front of him. You could hear a pen drop as I lowered my face to Zeref's shoes.

I was only inches away from hit boots and I had already started puckering my lips when Zeref drew his foot back and brought it back with such a force. It slammed against my nose and I jerked backwards, feeling pain erupt from my nose and echo through the back of my head. I let out a yelp as I fell backwards, my hands drawn to my nose. It was throbbing and I couldn't breathe out of it. I started panting as my hands dampened, which told me that my nose was bleeding. Tears welled up in my eyes and I let out a gurgled sob.

"Clean this mess up." Zeref said harshly. I whimpered as footsteps began moving in all different directions around me. My head was spinning and my nose was burning, but most of all, I was wounded on this inside. My pride had been harshly stabbed and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to heal it anytime soon.

I felt a steady stream of tears fall down my face as a large shadow appeared over me. They knelt down and stroked my cheek before lifting me off the floor bridal-style.

"You've really made a mess of things this time, buttercup."

 ** _Little intense now, dun dun dun... Leave a review, telling me what you think!_**


	15. 14: An Ally in the Darkness

_**Hello everyone! I know it's been forever and i apologize wholeheartedly for being gone for so long. Please understand that outside of writing, I have a lot of work that I'm expected to do well. I just finished a huge project that counts for like 60% of the year's grade so I'm hugely relieved. As I said before, even though this milestone is traversed, don't expect frequent updates. If I do update fast, it's because I was feeling good that day and had a small window of tie that I pounced on.**_

 _ **Thank you all for you continued support and once again, I am really sorry for being so late. Now, without further ado (adieu?)**_

Chapter 14: An Ally in the Darkness

 _Lucy_

I sat on the edge of Natsu's bed, clutching my bleeding nose. Natsu was busy grabbing something to wrap my nose with. I was shivering silently, my bare shoulders now freezing after I had taken off my blouse to give it to the slave girl. My face was burning from both the pain in my throbbing nose and the humiliation that still stung. I felt so ridiculously stupid for falling for Zeref's trick. Only now did I realize that he was testing me. He was seeing how easily I could be manipulated. And I failed that test miserably.

Natsu walked out of his bathroom and knelt down next to me so we were now at eye-level. I gulped as I removed my hand from my face, allowing him to dab my bleeding nose with his cloth. His eyes were focused solely on the task at hand and I found myself staring into their yellow-green depths even though I knew he wasn't looking back at me. I winced as he pressed down a little too hard. He grunted slightly and gave me a muttered apology. He placed a damp towel to my nose and began wiping up the blood.

"You're lucky you have a smaller nose." He said matter-of-factly. "It's not broken because of its size. If it were any bigger, it probably would have snapped and you'd be in a lot more pain." He removed the towel and I cringed at the brownish-orangish substance that had come from my nose. It wasn't blood red and I assumed that was because it had dried. I still couldn't breathe through it because Natsu had put gauze in my nostrils and I was afraid that if I tried, it would hurt even more.

"Yeah, lucky…" I whispered as Natsu taped a bandage on the bridge of my nose that I knew was going to swell up like a plum.

"Why would you do that, buttercup?" Natsu said, sitting back to look me in the eyes. "You've been here long enough to know what happens to people who defy Lord Zeref. I thought you were done with being defiant."

"Someone had to help." I said softly, feeling even stupider under his scrutiny. "He was killing her. Someone had to stop it." I looked away, my cheeks burning. Natsu's hands found my knees and I gasped slightly, shocked at how much warmth spread from his fingertips onto my skin.

"Why did that person have to be you?" He asked softly. I turned to look at him and was greeted with an expression I couldn't decipher. I couldn't tell if he was scolding me for being stupid or if he really cared that I had put myself in danger. Maybe he just hated that I had not only humiliated myself, but I had humiliated him as well in front of all his advisors.

"If not me, then who? Everyone else is too yellow-bellied to do anything about the way he treats people. And it's not just slaves. He is your father and you allow him to treat you like he did? At least I refuse to take his bullying." Natsu looked away, squeezing my knees slightly. I could feel my cheeks flushing and I couldn't tell if it was because I was still cold, or if it was because I was enjoying his touch way too much.

"You didn't have to kiss his shoes. Now, no one is going to stand up to him. Not even you." Silence ensued as I neither confirmed nor denied his statement. I clenched my fists ad thought about the alternative.

"If I hadn't, it would have been worse. Would you have stopped him if he had started torturing me the way he threatened to?" Natsu slowly turned back to look at me as I peered at him through my eyelashes. I already knew the answer to the question. He was too far under Zeref's spell. He wouldn't have helped me even if Zeref had executed me on the spot.

"I don't know." He said sincerely. Even though I knew the answer, my stomach dropped and a lump formed in my throat. I looked away and recoiled from him. He sighed and pulled his hands off my knees. He took my hands and began to clean them with his other damp towel.

"What do you want from me, buttercup? You want me to defy my father in front of everyone? I am the heir to this gang, I am the next leader of this whole thing. Zeref can easily strip that away from me if he wants to. And you know, with everything that's been happening, I wouldn't be surprised if he did just that. You aren't the only one who's trapped here, you know. Like you, he could kill me for any kind of treachery." He croaked.

His hand twitched, clenching around my hand slightly on the word 'kill'. I scrunched up my eyebrows, wanting to comfort him somehow. I wanted him to see. But I had no idea how I could make him see. I pulled my hand out of his grasp and hesitated slightly before cupping his cheek. He looked up at me with wide eyes as I took a deep breath, looking him right in the eyes.

"You're not like him." I said quietly, brushing my thumb over his cheekbone. He shivered at my touch and I was about to pull my hand away, thinking it was cold, when he placed his own hand over mine. "I want you to see how much influence you have over everyone you interact with. Zeref emits fear, you emit trust. I want you to stop pretending that you're some cruel dictator when I know you're not." Natsu narrowed his eyes as he slowly moved my hands from his cheek to over his mouth. I gulped as his lips pressed against my palm. He glanced down before removing my hand and looking up.

"That's where you're wrong, buttercup." He released my hand and stood up. I felt a freezing waterfall crash over my as soon as I was no longer touching him. I shivered as he turned his back to me and walked over to his closet. "I'm much crueler than you could even realize." He whispered. He pulled a shirt out of his closet and tossed it to me. I caught the shirt and slowly pulled over my head, reveling in its warmth.

"I am heartless, merciless, and cruel. You've never seen me at my worst. You couldn't make that judgement about me even if you wanted to. I'm not who you're picturing me to be, buttercup. The sooner you realize that, the better." He fell silent after that and I found myself staring at the floor instead of at him. I brushed a loose strand of hair off my face and breathed in, taking in the scent of firewood and forest. I realized then that I could breathe through my nose without it hurting. It was a small consolation prize to join the hollow feeling I felt in my chest.

Suddenly, we heard the bang of someone outside the door. They banged on the door several times while yelling through the door. It seemed that there was more than one person outside, and they were arguing with each other. Natsu opened the door and a petite figure stormed inside, her arms flailing wildly.

"You let me see her _right now_! How dare you even think to keep me from her?" She was yelling. My eyes widened as the sight of Levy stomping inside with her hair flailing all over the place. She let out a shrill cry of relief when she saw me and fell to her knees, throwing her arms around my neck. I hugged her back, looking past her shoulder to the second figure who walked in after her. It was the brutish man, Gajeel, who looked even more annoyed than usual. He gave Natsu an earnest apology as the corners of Natsu's mouth twitched.

"Oh, thank God, Lucy. When I was told that you'd been hurt, I felt so ashamed. I should have been there to protect you. I'm so sorry; I can't believe what a horrible friend I am." She babbled, clutching me tightly. I reassured her that I was fine and that I didn't blame her in the slightest. There was nothing she could have done. Then, I remembered me being in the same situation only flipped when I saw Erza after she'd been tortured.

Suddenly, I realized something.

Everything I had done or hadn't done didn't mean anything in the end. I didn't do anything when Erza was being hurt. If I had done something, not only would she have been hurt, but I would have been too. If I hadn't stepped in today with that girl, it wouldn't have meant anything. She would be hurt, and I wouldn't be. I wouldn't have a hurt nose and Levy wouldn't be feeling guilty. I realized then that I had just made things worse. That poor girl was probably still getting tortured. None of this had amounted to anything.

Tears welled up in my eyes as Levy pulled back to look at me. When she noticed how distraught I was, her sadness immediately flared into anger. She stood up and turned around to face to two men, watching the scene carefully.

"What did you do?" Levy hissed at Natsu. He frowned, confused as to what she was asking. "She's not just hurt on the outside, she looks like she's been stabbed. What did you say to her? Don't you think she's been tortured enough? Are you really that sadistic to want to make her suffer further? What is _wrong_ with you?" She scolded, brandishing her finger at both of them. Gajeel stepped forward, holding up his hand.

"Calm down, shrimp. No one can understand a word you're saying when you get angry." He said rudely. Levy shook in anger as she slapped his hand away.

"Don't you _dare_ try to appease me that way. And if you call me 'shrimp' one more time, you uncivilized Neanderthal, I can promise that you will wish you were never born." She threatened, seething in anger. Gajeel pulled his hand back and stared at her incredulously.

"So it's okay for you to call me 'Neanderthal' but I can't call you 'shrimp?'" he said sarcastically.

"Precisely." She hissed. Gajeel threw his hands up in annoyance and declared that he couldn't take this right now. He stormed out muttering that he would wait for her outside. Once he left, Levy turned back to Natsu, her rage still apparent in her fiery brown eyes.

"You better watch what you say to her now, your lordship. Don't forget that even though I may be your hostage, I still represent whether you get out of debt or not. If you anger me further, I can guarantee that you and your pathetic gang will go down the toilet. Next time, I find her in shambles like this, it will be on you." She snarled, poking Natsu in the chest. He took a step back, his eyes wide as she walked back over to me and hugged me tightly.

"I won't let them hurt you anymore." She promised quietly. I let out a choked sob of gratitude as Levy's arms squeezed me tighter. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back tightly, crying in her shoulder. She soothed me calmly, stroking my back and kissing my head. I heard the door open again as a messenger walked in the room.

"Sir, you the Lady Levy have been summoned into Lord Zeref's presence." Levy stiffened and released me, standing up and turning around.

"I do not answer to Lord Zeref's summons. I am busy right now, and he can wait for me now that he has forced me to wait on him for the past several days." She said harshly. The messenger did not waiver as he pursed his lips.

"So sorry, but he told me to let you know that if you refused, he would not allow you to see him again until several week from now. He knows how much you want to leave the castle." Levy stiffened and sighed, nodding her head. Natsu waited until she had exited the room. She turned back to give me and apologetic look before disappearing behind Natsu, who closed the door behind him.

I was left alone, sitting in my own sadness, tears still sticking to my cheeks. I felt incredibly touched by Levy's rage at Natsu for thinking he had hurt me. I already knew that we had become close over the past few days, but I didn't realize just how close that was. I thought about if our positions were switched. Would I have yelled at Natsu as fervently as he had for me?

I concluded that yes, I would have, because Levy and I had formed a bond that I didn't think could be broken. We were the same in many ways. Two A-listers who were forced to become trapped in a game of power and fear. I realized then that I couldn't do anything about my situation alone. But with Levy there was no telling what we could accomplish. There were still some things about her that were in the dark.

Why did she threaten with such conviction even though she was supposedly on the defensive?

I knew that there were things that she hasn't told me. There were things that I hadn't told her as well. But that wasn't going to stop me from trusting her completely. Now, I knew I had an ally in the darkness of this place. Now I knew that I could rely on her to stand up for me, to back me up when I needed it.

And it felt even better to know with all my heart that she had an ally in me too. She had someone she could rely on. I would always be there if she asked for it. That was a promise I knew I could keep.

 ** _Please leave a review if you enjoyed, it really makes my day. Thank you all again for reading!_**


	16. 15: A Waitress' Test

**_Look who's updating quickly! Are you happy to see me? Don't answer that, I already know what you're going to say XD Anyway, here is the next update, I hope you enjoy. I'm really excited for the next couple of updates. I hope you guys are too. Leave a review!_**

Chapter 15: A Waitress' Test

 _Lucy_

A few days later, my nose was black and blue and had swelled up to form a plum on my face. It was quite unattractive, but at the same time, it reminded me of what they could do to me if they so desired. Maybe my nose looked like an eggplant, but if I stepped out of line again, it wouldn't just be my nose.

I was in my bathroom, staring at my face in the mirror. I had just gotten out of the shower, so I was wrapped in a towel with my damp blond hair framing my face. Natsu had already left and told me that I had nothing to do for him today and that I should just rest and heal. It was strange. He had started avoiding me more and more. Now, instead of me being the distant one, it was him.

Not that I was complaining. It was already embarrassing enough to have to look him in the eye with an eggplant nose. Not only that, but I had been too afraid to leave the rooms to do anything productive for him anyway. I didn't want to run into Zeref or anyone who could hurt me. I was aware that Natsu himself could hurt me whenever he saw fit, but he was rarely ever in the rooms so I never had to worry about him.

Today, however, I told myself that I would venture outside at least to the servants quarters to see the others. I wanted to know how the aftermath or my outburst was going. I walked into my room and pulled on an undershirt and shawl with some plain brown pants. Unfortunately, I didn't have any makeup to cover up my giant nose. Hopefully, the swelling would go down soon.

I walked outside and slowly walked down the halls, keeping my head down and wrapping my arms around me. I felt strangely exposed even though I knew no one was around me. It was like I was being watched and I couldn't tell where I was being watched from. I kept looking over my shoulder, but I was always alone. Maybe that was just my paranoia. Fear and anger bubbled up in me when I thought of how much Zeref had changed my outlook on life with one simple command and kick to the nose.

He had shown me that I was in no position to be doing anything but accepting my fate. This was who I was now. I was no longer the royal, princess figure who sat in her ivory thrown, worrying about her stupid arranged marriage problems. I was a slave, I was a speck of dust under the shoe of the giant monster. I had no significance to anyone and I needed to accept it. This whole life was everything I was brought up to be _against_. I wasn't supposed to accept this way of life.

And for the longest time, I resisted accepting my fate.

Now, after all this time, no one had come to rescue me. Gray was probably sitting on his throne of laurels, ruling both mine and his companies in leisure. He probably didn't even know I was still alive. If he did, then he didn't care. No one was coming to get me and no one cared about how much I was suffering for this. I was completely on my own. And what could I do in the face of an entire gang? It was pointless to fight it anymore. Maybe I could never truly accept injustice, but I didn't _need_ to fully accept it. I only needed to tolerate it.

And that meant allowing it to happen right in front of me.

I reached the slave quarters and slipped inside the mess hall where slaves and servants were congregating to eat and socialize. I looked around for a familiar face and saw Juvia, Milliana, Lisanna, Mira, Yukino, and Kinana all sitting at a table a little ways from me. I swallowed the lump in my throat painfully and made my way over to them.

As soon as I made it a few feet away, Juvia gasped and abruptly stood up. She and Milliana both pushed their chairs back and all but sprinted over to me, their arms outstretched. I tried to keep their arms away from me, but I couldn't stop the bone-crushing hug that followed. I held my breath as they simply hugged me tight without saying anything. I could feel tears prick the back of my eyes at this intimate moment. After they had released me, I followed them to the table and sat down next to Milliana, across from Juvia and the others.

"It's really good to see you again, Lucy." Lisanna said, grasping my hand. I smiled softly at her words, not trusting myself to speak at that moment. Mira reached across the table and grasped my other hand.

"You're really something special, you know that? I don't know of anyone who could have done what you did." She said sincerely. I gulped, feeling the lump forming in my throat again. I wanted to start crying again, like I had been for the past few nights. With my nose healing, it was easier to cry. And so as the days passed, it became easier for me to develop tears. I promised myself that I wasn't going to cry in front of anyone, but now I wasn't too sure.

"Hello." Everyone looked up at the new voice that came from behind me. I turned around to see the girl with dark brown hair and eyes whom I had stepped in front of. I almost gagged on my tears as she glanced at me. "Can I sit here?" She asked the table, even though she was looking right at me.

"Of course you can, Cana." Mira scooted over and allowed the girl to take a seat right across from me. I gulped as she gave me a searching look. After a long pause, she extended her hand across the table. My breath hitched in my throat as I noticed a few burn scars and bruises.

"My name is Cana." She said. I slowly took her hand, trying to ignore the burning in my chest at the sight of her injuries. "We were never really introduced. I want to thank you for what you did. I know how hard that must have been. I'm sorry I had to put you through that." I swallowed the lump in my throat and trusted myself to speak for the first time.

"You have no reason to be sorry." I croaked. "It was my choice to do what I did, and nothing you could have done would have changed that. He had no right to torture you like that, no matter what it was you did." Cana pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. I noticed then, that unlike the other girls, she had a hard look in her eyes. She didn't look like she had given up. In fact, she looked like she was on the offensive.

"Well, I wouldn't be too sure about that." She said grimly. I took my hand back and stared at her questionably. "I did deserve some of it. He did catch me going through his office." My jaw dropped as she smirked.

"You went through his office? Are you asking to get killed?" Juvia asked in disbelief. Cana laughed.

"No, I'm just not going to let him imprison me without something worth my while. One of these days, he's going to get arrested and I'll be there with the proof that will put him in jail for the rest of his life. I was training to be a cop, before his little minion Laxus snatched me away. I had been snooping around into his affairs and he didn't like that. So dear Lord Zeref sent Laxus to capture me. He's lucky I didn't have any backup or that huge oaf would have been apprehended for sure."

"He's not an oaf." Mira snapped, cutting Cana off. Cana looked over in amusement. "He was just doing his job. If he didn't do what Zeref asked, then he would be the one being tortured, not you." Cana laughed again humorlessly. I sat back in my seat and frowned.

"Laxus is Master Natsu's advisor." I said grimly. "That means it wasn't Zeref who sent him, it was Natsu." Cana looked over at me as I looked at my hands in my lap. "He's going to be the next gang lord, so he has to take control of things now. Zeref probably didn't even know you were doing any of that. Natsu did. It was Natsu." I clenched my fists. "I told him he didn't need to do any of this. I told him that he was better than this. I knew he was inclined to do this, but I still hoped…" I trailed off, looking away from the table.

Something didn't sit well with me. The way he said that he could be killed just as easily as me told me that there was something deeper going on here. Zeref wouldn't kill off his only heir just like that. In fact, Zeref needed Natsu. His whole gang was falling apart. He needed his son because his son was the only person he could really trust. Unless he couldn't trust Natsu. Had Natsu had an outburst before? It that why Zeref was so cruel to him when he couldn't afford to be?

"He's not as noble as you thought he was, huh?" Cana asked bitterly. I looked up at her and scowled.

"I don't know what to think anymore." I answered truthfully. The conversation steered away from gang politics and shifted gears toward better things such as the food on the menu. I even managed to chuckle a little during the conversation and I felt my spirits lifting. Mira and Lisanna did a good job of shifting the conversation and lifting my mood slightly as they began to joke about how the chicken smelled like feet and the drink tasted like dinosaur pee.

How they knew what dinosaur pee tasted like, I didn't ask.

Just as I was getting comfortable around myself and others again, a crier burst through the door with an important look on his face. All the saves turned to look as him as he raised his sheet of paper. I thought it was kind of funny how much these criers put into their jobs.

"Would the waiters and waitresses assigned for tonight please make their way to the dining hall to serve Lord Zeref and his entourage." The crier said loudly. A table a little ways from us stood and at least eight people from that table went to where the crier was standing. "And would Lucy slave of Master Natsu please accompany them as well."

I felt my stomach drop as my eyes widened. Did I just hear him correctly? The other stared at me in shock and I managed to lift myself off the seat and walk over to the crier even though I was in a daze and I had no idea what I was doing. Was I being a waitress tonight? Didn't Juvia say that the waitresses were on their own level of the slave hierarchy? Weren't they towards the top? Why was I told to follow them? Was this Zeref's idea? Was it Natsu's?

Questions filled my head as I followed the others out of the slave hall, my head down. The others began to whisper sharply to each other as I followed them to put on their robes for the dining hall. As we entered the kitchen, someone threw me an apron and a black vest. I looked down at my attire and frowned, noticing that all the others had little uniforms, whereas I had none. I would have to make do with what was given to me.

The other waiters said nothing to me as the cook and the staff in the kitchen began to rattle off each plate that was being served and who would have which responsibility at the table. I still wasn't focusing right even though I was alert and understood that my job would be to make sure that their glasses were never empty. I couldn't fully understand what was happening to me. I couldn't figure out if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

As we prepared to go into the dining room, one of the waiters shoved my arm, causing me to stumble and almost drop the bottle of wine I was holding. I let out a yelp and just managed to catch the bottle before it went tumbling to its demise. I whirled around and glared at the waiter who smirked. I knew then that he had done it on purpose. These people did not like me and I didn't know why.

As we lined up to go inside, my heart started pounding faster. I didn't know what to expect and I didn't know how I was supposed to act. Do I act submissive or do I look him in the eye and defy him? Am I supposed to look strong or weak right now? Did it matter? Was this a test? I was so confused and so scared, as the doors opened and we walked out into the dining hall.

My eyes fell on the table and I felt a new confidence surging within me. They would not break me here. Whatever mind games they were playing, I would win. He was not going to humiliate and defeat me a second time.

 ** _Next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Please leave a review if you liked it! And if you didn't... well, you can tell me what you think I should do to fix it! Thanks for all your support once again!_**


	17. 16: Burning House

**_Well, look at me all updating quickly. I'm kind of bipolar aren't I? Anywho, please enjoy._**

Chapter 16: Burning House

 _Natsu_

I knew that my father had ordered her to be a waitress for tonight, but it hadn't really registered with me until I saw he enter the dining hall. She looked horribly out of place with her beige shirt and pants under the apron and black vest. The other waiters gave her no regard as they started to what they were trained to do. She stumbled slightly and only managed to catch herself because Zeref looked her way.

It was Zeref and I at the heads of the tables. The Lady Levy was seated on one of the sides with Gajeel standing in the corner of the room, watching over her. I had told him that it wasn't necessary, but he insisted on being there. I had noticed that he spent less time complaining about the Lady and was spending more time with her, saying that it was for 'protection purposes'. Personally, I thought she was growing on him.

Siegrain had returned from one of his scouts and was sitting on the other side. The crisis with Rosemary Village had been resolved as we were now in full control of the city's profits. The red-headed slave whom Siegrain had saved was back in the village now, but she was more of a prisoner than anything. We had sent every guard we had to guard the streets with extreme vigilance. We made sure that there would be no rebellion.

My eyes focused on buttercup as she poured wine in each person's glass, starting with the Lady Levy. The blue-haired girl subtly shifted her chin toward Lucy. As subtle as the gesture was, I recognized it as a reassuring gesture between allies. Levy had Lucy's back if anything went wrong. I narrowed my eyes as Levy's eyes connected with mine for a split second. She knew as well as I did that if Zeref attacked Lucy again tonight, even if we were on her side, Lucy would not fight back like she had been. Her spirit had been crushed.

I knew more than anyone how much it had been crushed. After we had returned to my rooms after Zeref had almost broken her nose, she didn't explode at me like she had the first time something like this had happened. I could tell immediately that she was terrified and crumpled. The spark and fire that I loved so much about her that was always present in her eyes had vanished. I was terrified that she would go back to being a submissive shell of a human, so I avoided her.

I didn't want to see the light in her eyes that had been prominent when I first met her, slowly disappear. She was better off without me with her anyway. Whenever we talked, I always ended up hurting her, whether physically or emotionally. I tried my best to keep her out of trouble, but she was making it so much harder on me. Trouble seemed to be attracted to her as over the past few weeks that she had been here, she had gotten into more trouble than a single slave did in his lifetime.

I took in a sharp breath as she rounded to my side of the table and poured the garnet liquid into my glass. She gulped and I could hear her heartbeat from where I was sitting. Before she moved away, I reached my hand out behind me and brushed it against her thigh. She gasped slightly and almost fell over again. I winced. That wasn't my intention. I meant for the gesture to be a calm, reassurance, but it just ended up scaring her.

I withdrew my hand and scolded myself for even thinking about trying to comfort her. I shouldn't even be thinking about her, much less trying to touch her. She was nothing but a slave. I knew that I was being cruel, but this was who I was. I was brought up to be cruel and merciless. It was about time I started acting like it.

I lifted my head as the appetizer came in from the kitchen. Siegrain was talking with Zeref about the Rosemary Village situation as Levy was silent and staring at her soup in contempt. I took a breath and lifted my spoon to sip at the soup. For what felt like the millionth time, I praised the chef. This soup was really spectacular and never ceased to amaze me.

"Master Natsu, I understand that it was you who made the call to send Laxus on his scouting?" Siegrain asked suddenly. I looked up in surprise, not expecting any political talk for the dinner. My eyes shifted to Lucy who was standing in the back, her lips pursed. My eyes shifted back to the table and I scolded myself again for looking at her.

"Yes, I sent out the order. I knew there was a breach in the system coming from that area and Laxus seemed like the best man for the job." I said firmly, taking in another spoonful of my soup. Zeref smirked and chuckled slightly.

"Indeed, and your ferocious advisor came back with a cop, trying to break into our files. In other words, it was your doing that led her to sift through my office." I gulped as Zeref's eyes shifted to his soup. I was under attack.

"Yes, I suppose it was my call that led her to spy on us in our own home, but even if she did find something she could use, there would be no way for her to use it. I can assure you that she will not try something like that again." I said carefully, looking at everything but at my father. Zeref let out an evil laugh, throwing his head back.

"Such big talk, my son." He sneered, raising his wine to his lips. "If I recall properly, it was I who tamed our newest guest. You can assure me of nothing." He took a long drink as I gulped and reached for my own glass. I took a long swallow, reveling in the burn in my throat. I needed this. Zeref was angrier with me that he ever had been. I could see it in the way his eyes were molten as they bore into my own. I looked down, away from his gaze in submission as I took another swig of the wine.

As I set my glass back down, I noticed that it was more than halfway empty now. My senses picked up on my buttercup walking toward me with her bottle of wine. She carefully tilted the bottle to my glass and filled it up quietly as I watched her carefully. She was staring straight at her task, refusing to even peer at me. Not that I could blame her. She probably thought I was behind all of this.

"Lord Zeref, I believe this to be as good a time as any to discuss the negotiations set up with my father." I looked at as Lady Levy clasped her hands in front of her. I took a sip of the soup as I watched my father smirk into his napkin. I really didn't want to watch this.

"Already down to business and we haven't even received our main platter? I'm disappointed. I thought your father brought you up to have better manners." Zeref jeered, sipping more of his wine. I saw Levy's ears turn pink, but her face remained neutral. She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to begin talking when Zeref raised his hand to silence her.

"Master Siegrain, did you have something to say?" I narrowed my eyes and peered over at Siegrain, who I just noticed had not taken a sip of his soup or his wine. He looked straight ahead, staring at Lady Levy before turning his head to Zeref, feigning confusion.

"No, sir." He said simply. I frowned at my father, wondering why he had asked that question. Had he seen something that I missed? I looked at Siegrain who was now eating his soup. I looked over at Levy who was also busying herself with her soup. Was there something going on that I had missed?

Conflicting thoughts vanished from my mind as the main course was brought out. Roast duck and mashed potatoes. Probably one of the best meals I'd ever had. I began to eat willingly, trying to dispel the awkward feeling of being watched. Finally, I glanced up towards the waiters and my gaze connected with Lucy's. She was staring right at me with a look I couldn't decipher. Was she upset? Was she hungry or something?

Suddenly, Zeref cleared his throat, breaking the silence. He lifted his chin and daintily wiped his mouth with his napkin before smiling and looking up.

"I think we're due for some entertainment during our meal, don't you?" He smirked when no one answered him. "Lucy." My blood froze as he turned his head toward her. She gasped slightly, almost dropping the glass of wine. "Do you have anything you could perform for us?" Zeref asked, feigning kindness. I gulped, not sure where this was going. She didn't either as she glanced at anyone but at Zeref whose eyes were still on her.

"I-I don't…" She stuttered, looking right at me for help. I lifted my chin, but said nothing as Zeref gestured for her to come closer. She swallowed and walked over to us, fear written all over her face. I was chanting in my head for her to be level-headed. _Please don't challenge him. Please don't challenge him._

"Sing for us." Zeref ordered. Lucy gulped and put the wine bottle down on the table. She stepped back and stared at the ground for a few seconds. "Now." Zeref added, his voice dangerously low. Lucy took a deep breath and looked away from the table, her cheeks tingling pink. She opened her mouth and began to sing.

" _I had a dream about a burning house  
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out  
I laid beside you and pulled you close  
And the two of us went up in smoke"_

I gulped and tried not to stare at the way her lips were moving in a synchronized dance. Her voice was beautiful and I could feel my heartbeat speed up after every note. Who knew buttercup could sing?

" _Love isn't all that it seems I did you wrong  
I'll stay here with you until this dream is gone_

 _I've been sleepwalking, been wandering all night  
Trying to take what's lost and broke and make it right  
I've been sleepwalking too close to the fire  
But it's the only place that I can hold you tight  
In this burning house"_

Suddenly, my thoughts darkened as I watched her gracefully moved her head to the sound of the music. She was singing about something close to her heart and I could see it in the way she swayed to the sound. Her soft blond hair fell in locks over her shoulder and even though her nose was slightly swollen and bruised, I still found it so endearing. In that moment, I realized that she had never looked more beautiful.

 _"_ _The flames are getting bigger now  
In this burning house  
I can hold on to you somehow  
In this burning house  
Oh, and I don't want to wake up  
In this burning house_

 _I've been sleepwalking, been wandering all night  
Trying to take what's lost and broke and make it right  
I've been sleepwalking too close to the fire  
But it's the only place that I can hold you tight  
In this burning house"_

She carefully ended her song and opened her eyes. My lips were parted and I was breathed heavily. Something had just happened. And I wasn't too sure what it was. All I had was one though burning deep into my mind as I watched her brown eyes glance all around her in uneasiness.

 _Mine_ …

 _Lucy_

I finished the song and clasped my hands in front of me. There was a dead silence after I had finished and I felt really self-conscious. That song had been a song that my mother used to sing to me. The song was more of a love song, but it held a deeper meaning to me. For the people I loved and the people who depended on me… if there was a way for me to save them, I would. If there wasn't, then I would die with them.

"What a pretty tune. You have a lovely voice." My blood ran cold as I slowly turned my head to look at Zeref who was calmly sipping at his wine. "I hope you know that you're burning house no longer has anyone in it." He said, slowly turning toward me. "When it goes up in flames, it'll only be you inside." I gulped and ducked my head down, slowly retreating.

The dinner continued as I stared at the ground, slightly confused out of what had just happened. I knew enough that Zeref had threatened me. He was making it clear that even though I was alive and my nose wasn't broken, it would not stay like this for long. I would be tortured and killed at the next mistake I made. Any sign of resistance would mean ultimate execution for me. I could not afford to slip up. I still had people counting on me. Juvia, Milliana, and all the other slaves did not deserve to be here. I needed to be smart. They weren't going to escape if someone wasn't there to lead them. And the only way I could lead them was to stay alive.

I looked up and my gaze connected with Natsu's. My breath hitched in my throat at the look he was giving me. I had never seen him like this before. His eyes looked a shade darker and he was staring at me through his eyelashes. His lips were parted and his hands were clenched to fists. I couldn't tell if he was glaring at me or if he was marveling at me. All I knew was that the look he was giving me terrified me more than any threat Zeref could have given me.

He wasn't looking at me like his slave anymore. This look… it was a look of possession, of control, a look of… absolute hunger…

 ** _Disclaimer: I don't own that wonderful song. No way in hell could I write a song like that. That lovely masterpiece was written by country singer Cam and the song is called "Burning House". I suggest you go listen to it on your own because I kind of imagined that specific song during this scene. I just feel like it would be perfect._**

 ** _Anyway, let me know what you think? Thanks for all your support! Reviews are greatly appreciated._**


	18. 17: Conflicting Emotions

_**Hey my lovely fairy tailies! Okay brace yourselves, this chapter is kind of intense:**_

 _ **Warning: This chapter contains slight adult material. When I say 'adult material' I mean it gets steamy, but not anything past PG-13. This book is rated Teen for a reason. I would advise you to stay until the end because i think you guys will be quite surprised by the ending.**_

 _ **so if you start reading this and you think 'this is too graphic for me', First off, i warned you. Second, if you have too much of an immature mind that you can't handle a little PG-13 steaminess than you shouldn't be reading books rated Teen. That's my two cents. Hopefully the rest of you will enjoy it :)**_

Chapter 17: Conflicting Emotions

 _Lucy_

I was back in Natsu's room, pacing. After the dinner had ended, I was the first to be kicked out of the kitchen. Not that I minded, I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I had rushed back to the rooms and shut myself in, locking the door behind me. I was scared. Of what, I wasn't sure. Was it the threat Zeref had given me? Was it the waiters and their ruthless stares and whispers? Was I really that self-conscious?

No, it was none of that. The true reason I was so scared was because of the pink-haired boy who had given me a look unlike any other that I had ever received. I felt oddly exhilarated whenever I thought about it, but also terrified. It was the kind of look that had one questioning who you really were. Was I really going to allow myself to be so affected by a look that this boy had given me? This wasn't who I was. I didn't just get giddy over the slightest glance from a boy. Especially not from a boy who had already caused me so much pain.

I took a deep breath and paused in front of the mirror. My eyes were wide and my nose was still slightly swollen. It was better now and I could breathe regularly out of it. I was still wearing the vest and apron. I all but ripped the vest and apron off, almost as if I couldn't breathe unless they were off my body. The blouse I had on underneath was buttoned up almost to the top and the pants I wore were tight against my legs. Why was it so _hot_ in here?

I turned away from the mirror and began pacing again, biting my fingernails and running my hands repeatedly through my hair. What was going to happen when he got here? What was going to happen when he walked through that door and I had to face him for the first time in days? The last time we had truly spoken was after Zeref had kicked my nose. He had never so much as given me a second glance after that. Was he still going to ignore me? Or was I in for something I wasn't sure I could handle?

The fear and worry was eating me alive as I rubbed my hands on my arms and started rolling up my sleeves to get rid of the heat. I felt like I was burning up and I couldn't sit still. What was wrong with me?

Suddenly, I heard a key turn in the lock of the door. I gasped and started desperately running around, not sure how I should be standing or what I should be doing. I gulped as the knob in the door turned and opened. As quickly as I could, I grabbed a random book off the shelf and jumped onto the bed and opened the book all in one move. Natsu walked in just as I looked down at the book, pretending to be reading. My great plan of nonchalance failed as I lost my balance and fell off the other side of the bed, landing on my side.

"Buttercup?" Natsu asked, confused. I let out a squeak and quickly pushed myself off the ground, scrambling to get back on the bed. I tried not to look at him but I already knew that he was smirking at me in amusement. I didn't even need to look.

"Sorry, you startled me. I was just reading." I said quickly, gasping for air. I risked a glance up at him and saw that he was smirking darkly at me. He walked over to the bed and picked up the book. He looked at the title and stifled a chuckle.

" _The History of Grasshoppers_?" He asked, pointing at the title. I blushed hard and looked away, racking my brains for a good excuse.

"Well, you had it on your bookshelf, I just wanted to see why you found it so interesting. It's actually pretty fascinating to be honest with you." I said smoothly, surprised at how unwavering my voice sounded. Still smirking, Natsu flipped to the page I had randomly opened to and began to read from the book.

" _Contrary to popular belief, the grasshopper's feces resembles that of a small mouse or rodent, and can be very hard to identify as bug feces._ " I felt my cheeks turn even redder. I gulped and shrugged, trying to keep up my nonchalance.

"What can I say?" I said, my voice now definitely shaking. "It's pretty interesting stuff." I walked toward him and snatched the book out of his hands before he could embarrass me further. I stepped behind him and placed the book back on its shelf. Natsu turned around to face me, but I still had my back to him when he started talking again.

"That was a really beautiful song you know. I had no idea you could sing." He said suddenly, making me freeze. I gulped and clasped my hands in front of me, not trusting myself to turn around and look him in the eye.

"Well if you did, what would you have done? Made me sing you to sleep?" I questioned. My voice was not as harsh as I had meant it to be. Natsu chuckled and took a few steps closer to me so I could now feel his warmth mere inches away from my back.

"Maybe. It probably would have helped me sleep these past few days." I felt my cheeks burn and I still didn't turn around, afraid about what would happen if I did.

"I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner." I whispered softly. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my waist as spark of electricity shot up to my spine at the touch. I gasped and straightened my back as the other hand was carefully placed on the other side, causing me to feel warmer than I had in days.

"I'm sorry too." I closed my eyes as I felt Natsu's chest now come in contact with my back. His head leaned over my shoulder and I sighed as his breath tickled my collar bone and my neck. He was so warm and so strong. I felt so safe in his arms. Then, I opened my eyes, gasping slightly. Whatever this was, it needed to stop.

"Well, it was my mother's lullaby, so I can't really take the credit. " I said abruptly, turning around. His hands on my waist shifted, but didn't move as I tried to step away from his grasp. Instead of moving and allowing me to escape, he only leaned in closer, his hand squeezing tighter on my waist. I was looking directly into his chest because I didn't want to look up. And god was that a sight to see. My brain was yelling at me that this was wrong. He shouldn't be this close. I shouldn't be allowing him to get this close.

"Your mother was a good teacher." He whispered softly. Finally, I couldn't help it. I lifted my chin to look directly into his eyes. There was a blue fire crackling in their depths as his cheekbones and lips accentuated every part of his face, I had never noticed until then, just how truly attractive he was up close. My eyes dropped to his parted lips as he leaned down closer. Was this really happening? Was this actually about to happen right now?

My questions were answered when he pressed his lips softly against mine. I could feel spark of electricity fly up my arms and down my spine and everywhere from his simple touch. His lips slowly left mine as if it was taking all his willpower to pull away from me. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked up at him. He was looking at anything but at my face as he licked his lips. There was something in my brain that was telling me that this was wrong and that I shouldn't have allowed him to kiss me. I ignored that part of my brain.

Before he could pull away, my self-control went out the window and I curled my fingers around the fabric of his jacket, pulling him back to me and kissing him harder and fiercer than before. I heard a soft groan coming from his mouth as his hands, which had been on my waist, wrapped around my body and pulled me closer against him. I let out a gasp as his tongue entered my mouth and soon we were locked in a synchronized dance. My hands slowly rose to tangle themselves in his hair and he pushed me up against the wall, kissing me ravenously.

His hands traveled down my stomach and onto my hips. I shivered at his touch as they traveled to the back of my thighs. His squeezed them slightly as I jumped, resting my legs around his waist. I was gripping the back of his head, tangling my fingers in his hair as he kissed me with such passion and lust it had my stomach twisting into knots of excitement and anxiety.

Why did I think this was bad again? I was in heaven. I felt so light-headed, as he kissed me with more passion and lust than I had ever felt before. It was so overwhelming and I felt like my whole body was on fire and burning after every touch. He pulled away to catch his breath and ducked his head towards my neck, tantalizingly peppering kisses from my jawbone to the crook of my neck. I gasped as he found one spot on my neck more sensitive than the rest. He started to suck softly on my skin and it sent shivers down my whole body.

His lips rose to my own again and I slowly cupped his cheeks, this time kissing him instead of him kissing me. All I could think about was getting closer to him. I needed to get _closer_. I needed _more_. I was drinking from his mouth and I needed more than what he was giving me. I craved his touch. I needed him now, I needed _all_ of him.

Holding my waist tighter, he turned around, lifting me away from the wall, not once breaking the kiss, and walked over to the bed with me still clinging onto him. He all but dropped me on the bed and climbed on top of me, almost like an animal. He grinned as he waved over me, causing me to giggle slightly. He brought his head down again and kissed me hard, causing me to lift my hands to his back and pull his shirt up so I was touching his smooth, bare back.

He sat up abruptly, his face tinged pink and his lips swollen from kissing. My breathing picked up as he pulled his shirt over his head and I could view his body in all its glory. God, what did I do to deserve someone this hot? He leaned back down and began right where he left off, kissing me hard and passionately as I ran my hands over his back and over his neck. His hands found the hem on my shirt and I gasped, arching my back slightly at his touch. He took that as an invitation and slowly lifted my shirt up, running his hands over my bare stomach.

I broke the kiss and reached down to grab my shirt. I pulled it over my head, feeling the cool air wash over me and grabbed his face back down to my lips. Now we were skin on skin, making it that much more intimate. I still had my bra on but I felt closer and more cherished with him than I had ever felt with anyone in my life. His head ducked to my neck again and this time I couldn't help it. I let out an embarrassing moan that had him grinning against my skin.

Suddenly, we heard the familiar sound of someone knocking at the door. Natsu growled in his throat and sat up, giving me an apologetic look before shouting,

"Not now!" he bent back down to kiss me when the door was opened and a crier walked in, completely unbothered by the fact that Natsu was on top of his slave, making out with her.

"I'm sorry, sir, Lord Zeref is in need of your assistance." Natsu growled again and sat up, grabbing my discarded blouse and throwing it over me protectively.

"You can go tell Lord Zeref that I'll come see him tomorrow morning. It's late and he has already dismissed me." I gulped and scooted back against the headboard as Natsu turned around to glare at the crier. The crier didn't look fazed as he simply began talking again, not bothering to look away from me or pretend like I wasn't half naked in front of him.

"Lord Zeref asked me to inform you that you do not have a choice in the matter and whatever you are doing can wait." The crier's eyes flashed to me and I scowled in return. Natsu sighed, exasperated and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked at me and mouthed a silent apology before hopping off the bed and pulling his shirt back over his head. On his way out the door, he grabbed his scarf and turned around to give me a cheeky grin.

"This conversation isn't over." He said in amusement, making me blush hard before he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

My mouth parted as I stared at the closed door, my blouse still over my body. It was freezing now that he was gone and I quickly pulled it back over my head. I was still so confused about what had just happened. I was just making out with Natsu. The one I said couldn't be saved. The one who hit me and allowed me to be hurt. I didn't even get the chance to acknowledge my feelings for him. If feelings was what they were.

I threw my legs over the bed and stood up, walking over to the mirror. I gasped at how disheveled my hair was and how my lips were swollen. I quickly fixed my hair and cringed at the love bites on my neck and collar bone. If that crier hadn't walked in, how far would this had gone? Did I want it to go any farther? Was I ready for a relationship like this? What would this mean now? Was I his girlfriend, but still his slave? Would I have to still be his slave? Would he free me?

Now there were even more questions and doubts than there were before. I concluded that the moment we had just had was a mistake. I couldn't see a good way out of it. There was no way that we could just keep on going after that. A master cannot have an affair with his slave. All that happens is the slave gets hurt. The slave will always get hurt because they will never be able to be on the same level as the master and whatever happens to break them up will always fall on the slave, not the master.

When he came back, I would have to tell him that whatever that was, it could never happen again. Not only could it never happen, but we had to pretend like it never did happen. I could not suffer more than I had already. Not now, not ever.

Now I was back to square one. I was pacing around the room, terrified about what was going to happen when Natsu walked back in that door.

A good twenty minutes had passed before the handle turned and the door creaked open. I turned to face Natsu as he walked in the room, his eyes dilated and his face as white as sheet. All the hostility I felt vanished as I felt nothing but concern for him. He put his hand on his head, as if he were trying to forget something as he closed the door behind him.

"Natsu? Are you alright?" I reached forward and touched his shoulder gently, not wanting to startle him. He looked up at me and gave me a weak smile.

"I'm okay, buttercup. Just a little tired. I'm ready for bed." I frowned as he walked to his closet to change into his night clothes, brushing my hand off his arm. There was something off about his tone. It was slightly higher than usual and it had cracked on the work 'tired'. He was lying to me, that much I knew. Something was definitely wrong. Suddenly, my eyes zeroed on something red on his pale shirt. Something wet and sticky.

"Is that blood?" I questioned, stepping forward again. I touched his shirt as he ripped it over his head, pulling it away from me quickly. I flinched and stepped back as he flung the shirt as far away from me as he could. I scanned his bare body, searching for an injury, but there was none. "Did he hurt you?" I asked nonetheless.

"No, he didn't. I'm fine, buttercup, I promise." I narrowed my eyes, noting immediately that he didn't tell me where the blood came from, then. "You're just going to have to trust me. You do trust me right?" I stepped back, caught off-guard. A shirtless Natsu peered at me in curiosity, genuinely wondering about the answer to that question. I realized then that I had no answer. No truthful answer, that is.

"Of course." I said quietly. He smiled at me and turned back to his closet, sifting through to find a shirt. I scowled at his back and watched his tense muscles move. Something was not right. And if he wasn't going to tell me what was wrong, I was going to figure it out myself.

As subtly as I could, I sidled toward the door and watched as he continued to search his closet, not paying any attention to me. I quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door behind me before bolting, hearing an astonished cry behind me.

I didn't know where I was running or why I was running, but something told me that I needed to find out what was happened at that moment. If I waited to find out, Natsu's secret would just get buried. I had to figure out what was going on now.

"Lucy! _Wait_!" I cringed at his voice and heard the pounding of footsteps behind me. I shut out everything and listened to my own feet, pounding against the ground. I ran as fast as I could, and then faster, because I knew that I wouldn't be able to outrun Natsu. He was stronger and fitter than me and no matter how fast I ran or for how long, he would catch up. I had to find the room he was in now.

Not thinking, I ran to the first grand double doors I could see. I put my hands on the handle just as Natsu's shout could be heard through the halls.

" _No_!" Wow, what luck I had. From the way he yelled in protest, I knew that this door definitely had a secret in it. In one swift movement, I yanked the doors open and bolted inside, stumbling over myself, before coming to an abrupt stop. My eyes widened and my pupils dilated at the horrific scene in front of me.

The boy with the blue hair and red tattoo over his eye, Siegrain, was standing next to Lord Zeref behind a boy kneeling in chains and a dark looking man standing behind him with a whip. The boy was on his knees, his ankles and wrists chained together with huge, ugly shackles. I stifled a gasp when the boy turned his head to look at me. _No… it couldn't be. This is not possible._

He was shirtless, but he was anywhere from attractive. His back was slashed with so many ugly gashes that I couldn't tell how many there were. I wanted to vomit as my eyes trailed over the splatters of his blood spilled everywhere around him. His face was a mess of dirt, blood, and tears. His jet black hair was stained with mud and some of his own blood, giving it a horrific red tint. His eyes were wide as they stared at me. They were all too familiar. Black hollow pools of navy swirling with dread and terror. Conflicting emotions rose within me as recognition spread all across my features. Oh god…

 _Gray…_

 ** _..._**

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	19. 18: The Truth Revealed

_**I don't think I need to say anything at the beginning of this chapter.**_

 ** _Enjoy!_**

Chapter 18: The Truth Revealed

Previously: The boy was on his knees, his ankles and wrists chained together with huge, ugly shackles. I stifled a gasp when the boy turned his head to look at me. _No… it couldn't be. This is not possible._

He was shirtless, but he was anywhere from attractive. His back was slashed with so many ugly gashes that I couldn't tell how many there were. I wanted to vomit as my eyes trailed over the splatters of his blood spilled everywhere around him. His face was a mess of dirt, blood, and tears. His jet black hair was stained with mud and some of his own blood, giving it a horrific red tint. His eyes were wide as they stared at me. They were all too familiar. Black hollow pools of navy swirling with dread and terror. Conflicting emotions rose within me as recognition spread all across my features. Oh god…

 _Gray…_

 _Lucy_

My hands trembled as I stared at my ex-fiancé on his knees, staring up at me with wide eyes. I started breathing harder as Gray looked at me, his eyes filling with recognition.

" _Lucy_!" He screamed, struggling to stand against his injuries and the shackles around his wrists and ankles. "Lucy! It's you, oh God, it's you!" the scary dark man standing behind Gray snapped the whip down, causing Gray to scream in pain, collapsing again. I gasped, and covered my mouth as blood splattered everywhere from his back to the stone floor around him.

I gulped as the double doors burst open and Natsu stumbled inside, approaching my back. His face was white as he pursed his lips and walked over to me. He grabbed my upper arm from behind and held on tight, making me wince slightly.

"You have no idea what you've done." He snarled in my ear. I shivered at his cold tone and gulped in fear as Gray sputtered and tried to speak.

"Don't touch her…" He croaked, coughing up blood. I cringed at how much pain he was in and wanted nothing more than to go to him and heal all his injuries. But I had to remember that he was the reason my parents were dead. I didn't know why he was here or how they captured him, but he was not my ally. Not now, anyway.

"Well this is unexpected." My eyes flickered over to Zeref who was smiling in amusement, like he had just got a present for his birthday. I gulped as he walked by Gray, giving him a swift kick to the stomach. Gray let out a small 'oof' and leaned down as he tried to catch his breath, his forehead pressed to the cold stone. Natsu's grip on me shifted as one hand wrapped around my waist and the other pinned one of my arms behind my back, immobilizing me. Gray was panting and hissing as Zeref walked straight up to me.

"You might be just the thing I need. You see, your fiancé over here is refusing to give me the information I need. But he might be willing if someone he loves is in pain. Please don't take this personally." He grinned at me, not an ounce of sympathy in his eyes. My heart rate picked up as Zeref snatched my free hand. I tried to struggle but Natsu's grip was like iron. Gray coughed and sputtered again, wheezing slightly in protest.

"No… please, don't hurt her…" he croaked struggling to speak. He was in so much pain and yet he was still trying to protect me. Why did he still care? He killed off my parents, he shouldn't care about me. I narrowed my eyes as Zeref began to bend my fingers backwards. I refused to scream. I refused to show any emotion. I would not let Zeref have the satisfaction.

Soon, a sharp pain spread from my hand and down my arm to my elbow. I couldn't help it. I yelped, cringing. Zeref didn't stop. He continued to bend my fingers backwards causing the pain to multiply exponentially. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut as I whimpered quietly. Suddenly, I heard a soft crack in my fingers and I screamed at the pain exploding in my hand. I couldn't stop myself. It was too much.

"Stop! _Stop_! Please! I don't know anything! I swear I don't know anything… just please, stop this! She doesn't deserve this! Please stop, please… _please_!" Gray yells could be heard over the sound of my piercing wail. My knees buckled and I felt myself collapse but the strong arms holding me kept me upright as Zeref continued to bend my already broken fingers backwards. I started crying, not able to take the pain anymore.

"I swear I don't know anything. My parents never told me anything. Please, I can't help you, you can't keep torturing her1 she's innocent in all this, please stop! I'm begging you! I'll do anything! I can tell you anything else, just please, I don't know about their plans, I swear!" Finally, Zeref released my hand causing me to yelp in pain as my body started to tremble. He turned back to Gray, while my head started spinning.

"Your parents have a plot to overthrow me, even though I have you in custody. You know something about it. Don't lie to me!" Zeref roared, kicking Gray in the jaw. Gray collapsed on his side at the impact and I let out a cry of protest.

"Please…" He coughed, choking on his own blood. "I don't…" He continued to have a coughing fit as Zeref grunted in frustration. He beckoned toward Natsu who threw me, very roughly, onto the ground next to Gray. My eyes widened and I looked up at Natsu, pleading for him to save me. Natsu was on my side. He had to be. Not an hour ago had he been touching me and cherishing me unlike anyone before. He had to be on my side now. That moment couldn't have meant nothing to him. It had meant so much to me.

Natsu's face was blank and emotionless. He stepped around me and walked over to Siegrain and Zeref without even giving me a second glance. Tears welled up in my eyes as I clutched my injured hand to my chest. I never knew what I saw in him. He was a coward and he was never on my side. Everything I had said about him not being cruel, I was wrong. I was so wrong.

"Lucy…" Gray whispered and inched closer to me. I recoiled and hissed at him, sitting back on my butt to get away.

"Don't touch me." I snapped, glancing down at my hand. I cringed at how my fingers were bent in ways that they shouldn't be. The pain has worsened but had only dulled to a numb throb, so I could bare it. It wasn't sharp or severe like before. "You ordered to attack on my family. Don't come anywhere near me." I hissed, hurt and betrayal working its way into my throat. Gray looked up at me in confusion and pain.

"What? Lucy I never…" he went into a coughing fit again, more and more of his blood spouting out of his mouth. He wheezed and groaned as my cold exterior slowly melted away. I couldn't stand to see him in this much pain, no matter what he'd done to me. Without realizing it, I found myself scooting closer to him, aiming to help him somehow.

"Don't talk, you'll only make it worse." I whispered gently, lifting my good hand to his back. I was careful not to touch his gashes as I rested my hand on the nape of his neck. He started to breathe regularly again and looked up at me with pained, but grateful eyes.

"I didn't order the attack on your family. I don't know what lies they've been feeding you, but I never gave up after you were taken. I've been searching for you for weeks, even after the police gave up. I swear, Lucy, I would never give up on you." I gazed into his cool blue eyes and searched for any signs of untruth. But there was nothing but earnestness and sincerity in their depths. I shook my head sharply.

"No, it had to be you. There was no one else. Your parents were killed with my father. They couldn't have done it." I protested, shaking my head roughly. I lifted my head to look at the back of the boy with pink hair's head. He wouldn't have fed me a lie that big. There was no way he was that cruel.

"Lucy, what are you talking about? My parents aren't dead. They were never in danger." My eyes widened as I turned to look at Gray. This couldn't be happening. I had been lied to by the one person of power in this whole house I thought I could trust. Was everything he had ever said to me a lie? How could I ever even think to trust him?

I gazed up as Natsu and Zeref turned around with an icy stare, finding his yellow-green eyes. My initial instincts were correct. This man was one not worth saving. When I got the chance, I would have him incarcerated for the rest of his life. I would watch as he burned. He ruined my life, he killed my family, he took me into slavery, and he broke me down and lied to me over and over again. And now… he had the audacity to betray my trust and trick me into developing feelings for him.

He had the nerve to touch me the way only someone completely trustworthy should. I shivered at the memory of his lips on my skin. The love bites were surely still there and I didn't think they had gone unnoticed by Gray or Zeref. He had left marks that only a good man should ever leave on a woman's body. I couldn't believe I was about to let him take _full advantage_ of me. I shivered again as my anger grew. He would regret the day he ever laid a hand on me and played with my emotions. The next time I had the chance, I was going to kill him.

"Well, it seems that today is your lucky day." Zeref said, grinning down at both of us. Gray and I both had matching expressions as we stared up at him defiantly. "I'm not going to kill either of you just yet. No, I think you both will be of some use to me in the future. So I'll allow to live, for now. Master Natsu, take your slave back to her quarters. Siegrain, please escort our newest slave to the dungeon to spend the night." Zeref ordered, smirking at us.

Natsu bent down to me and I hissed at him, scooting back. He rolled his eyes and reached for my arms but I snapped at him, closing my teeth on the skin of his arm. He yelped and withdrew quickly, giving me an annoyed look. Without even batting an eyelid, he bent down and smacked me across the face. My face jerked to the side as my eyes almost bugged out of my head. This was the first time since the first day that he had ever hit me. I had forgotten that he could still do that. Instead of backing down, my stomach only filled with more anger as Natsu grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.

"You bastard…" Gray wheezed. "Don't you ever lay a hand on her again. I will kill you!" the rest of Gray's threats were silenced as Zeref kicked him again in the stomach. I let out a whimper and jerked around to go back to Gray. Natsu suddenly grabbed my hair and I screamed, falling backwards, my arms flying up to my head. Natsu bent down and grabbed my legs before standing up and flinging me over his shoulder like a rag doll.

"I swear to god, you shithead, if you don't put me down I'll rage a hell upon you like you've never seen!" I threatened, pounding his back. I could almost see Natsu's eyes rolling even though I couldn't see his face. It was an empty threat, but I was angrier than I ever had been and I just didn't care.

Natsu carried me out of the room and we walked down the hall. He was silent, but I was having a tantrum. With my good arm, I whacked his back as hard as I could, hurting myself more that I hurt him. I flailed my legs and tried to kick his stomach or his face, but it was no use. I was nothing but a rag doll at this moment. I was useless and vulnerable _again_. I was shouting colorful lines of swears and curses that were all empty, of course, but they were meant to sting. Natsu didn't even flinch.

Finally, we reached his room and I had calmed down quiet I bit. I stopped struggling as we entered the room and he lifted me off his shoulders, placing me on the bed. I refused to look at him as he knelt down in front of me.

"Okay, look. Some of your finger are bent out of place. If you don't want to be permanently damaged, I'm going to have to push them back in place." He deadpanned, grabbed my bad arm.

I winced as he took a firm grip on my fingers. I gritted my teeth and braced myself as he slowly started to push my fingers back into their rightful places. My breathing quickened and my face twisted in pain. I let out a yelp as I heard the soft click of my bones shifting back. My cheeks were red and I was panting, but it was over. My fingers were okay again. Natsu's head lowered so I could only see the top of his pink head. The fury I had been feeling slowly came back as I thought about all he'd done.

"Lucy…" He whispered. I pulled my hand out of his grasp and shoved him backwards. He stumbled and looked up at me in surprise. I stood up, a cold look covering my face. I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth, clinching my good fist.

"Do not talk to me again." I said in a barely restrained whisper. He quickly stood up and looked at me with wide eyes. "I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you, I don't even want to know you exist. Do not come into my room. Leave me chores and I will do them, but I never want to see your face again." I rattled, starting to edge toward my door. Natsu's arms outstretched as he tried to stop me.

"Wait, buttercup—"

" _No_! Don't touch me! Do not _ever_ touch me again. I would rather bathe in _acid_ than ever be touched by filthy hands like yours ever again. And you no longer have the right to call me 'buttercup'. I am your slave. So you will address me as such." My voice cracked on the word 'slave' as I shifted away from his searching arms and stumbled to my door. I kicked it open and stumbled inside, slamming the door behind me.

I let out the breath I was holding, feeling the familiar lump form in my throat. I looked to the wall and saw Gray's ring still sitting there, discarded. I walked over to it and dropped to my knees, leaning against the wall. My lips started to tremble as I slipped the ring back on my finger.

Finally, I couldn't hold it in. I burst into tears and curled into a fetal position on the floor, sobbing my eyes out.

 _ **Woooow that chapter was hard to write . Imma be honest, it took me several tried before i finally wrote this thing. Hopefully it satisfied your hunger for the aftermath. Please leave a review if you enjoyed! They are very much appreciated!**_


	20. 19: Finally Reunited

_**Hey guys! Boy it feels like the last few chapters have been fire after fire. Here's a little cool-down chapter in it with some juicy details. Hope you all enjoy!**_

Chapter 19: Finally Reunited

 _Lucy_

It wasn't easy waking up. My hands were clenched against my chest and I could feel the metal of my ring closed in my fist, digging into my flesh. My face a dry and scratchy and I could feel the salt from my tears itching against my cheeks. My eyes fluttered open, cracking against the crust that had formed on my eyelids. I tried to swallow against my dry and scratchy throat but I just ended up coughing roughly.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I had managed to crawl into bed where I had curled up and sobbed myself to sleep, my mind filling with hurt. I felt so hurt and betrayed and I didn't even realize how much one person could affect me. The way he had kissed me and touched me like I was a delicate flower and his possessive growl when he started sucking my neck… I just couldn't get over that he had so easily lied to my face.

I had never come to terms with it until now. I had feelings for Natsu. I had so many feelings for him. Now they were mixed and confusing and I didn't know what to think. But I did know one thing: Natsu had broken my heart yesterday. He had shattered it into a million little pieces and I wasn't sure if I was ever going to recover from it. I didn't know how I could ever trust anyone again.

I could feel a lump in my throat again as I thought about his warm hands on my cheeks and his mischievous smile that had my knees buckling. I wanted to start crying again, but I was all out of tears. Now, I just had the lump in my throat that would be too painful to swallow if I tried.

I slowly unclenched my fists and winced at the pain of removing the ring from my tender skin. I peered at the intricate diamond sitting in the center of the silver band. How could I ever think that someone who would spend so much money a ring this beautiful could ever be anything but on my side? I felt so guilty and shamed of myself for believing Natsu so easily. I remembered the panic attack I had right after I had been told the lie. That all seemed like it was a million years in the past. It felt like I'd been in this hell hole for years, when I knew it had only been a month and a few weeks.

Gray's calm and handsome face formed in front of my eyes and I gasped, jerking up right.

Oh god, _Gray_ ….

They had taken him away yesterday night. What had they done to him? He was already in so much pain and anguish, what else could they have done to him? He had barely been able to speak and he had been coughing up blood. If they had even done one more thing to him, there was no telling how much permanent damage could be inflicted on his body. I had to find him.

I slipped his ring back on my finger, reveling in the cool metal against my skin. I never should have taken it off. I lifted my hands to my face and began pulling at the crust over my eyes, wincing at the sting and disgust of it all. I stood up and took a few beats before I gained my balance and my head stopped spinning. I made my way to the bathroom and began to splash my face with water so I could get all the sleep and the dried up tears out of my eyes and off my face.

When I had finished, I looked up at myself in the mirror and cringed at the sight in front of me. There were large bags under my eyes and my face was pasty and ashen. My nose was red from crying and my eyes were still red and puffy even though it had been hours since I had shed my last tear. My hair was disheveled and tangled into so many knots that I knew I would need help getting them all out. For now, I swiftly tied it into a messy bun, ignoring the rest of my face. I had no one to impress.

I quickly took the old clothes off, cringing at the memory of Natsu hovering over me as I pulled my shirt off. I quickly changed into a new shirt and pants before creeping to the door that connected my room with his. I pressed my ear to the keyhole and listened intently. I could hear nothing in his room and so I took a risk and pushed the door open slowly. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief as I noticed that he was not in the room. I quickly tiptoed into his room and glanced at the note on his desk.

 _We need to talk. Be here when I get back—N_

I narrowed my eyes and snatched the note off his desk. Taking no time at all, I ripped up the paper without mercy and let the ripped pieces fall to the ground. He had no right to order me to talk to him this way. I would be damned if I let him coax his way back into my good graces. If he wanted to talk, he would have to come find me himself.

I quickly left the room and started my way to the slave quarters. I knew that Gray would have been taken to the dungeons but I also knew that he was going to be trained as a slave. I would check there first. If Gray wasn't there, I would find my way to the dungeons. I had to see him. I really didn't care who saw me. I _needed_ to see him.

I made it to the slave quarters and all but burst into the hall. Like every morning, the slaves were having their breakfast before they went off to complete their various tasks. I scanned the room once, looking for a familiar head of jet black hair. When I couldn't find him, I scanned the room again, making sure I didn't accidently miss him. I sighed, knowing that he wasn't here and I was just wasting my time.

I looked over at my usual table and saw the girls quietly eating their breakfast. I made my way over to them, still desperately searching for Gray's cool navy eyes somewhere in the crowd. When I finally reached the table, Milliana stood and walked around to give me a hug. The others looked at me and their eyes quickly turned sad and pitiful as they looked at how awful my appearance was.

"What happened? Did something happen at the dinner?" Milliana whispered into my hair. I blinked in confusion before remembering that the last time I had seen them, I had been called to be a waitress. That all seemed like a million years ago, now. I let out a slight chuckle and shook my head.

"No, the dinner was fine." I pushed Milliana off me and turned to address the whole table. I noticed that Juvia wasn't sitting among them, but pushed the thought aside. "Listen, I need to ask all of you something. Yesterday, they brought in a prisoner. He has black hair, he's tall, sharp facial features, and dark blue eyes. Have you seen him? He would be shirtless and injured. Do you know if anyone was sent to look after him?" the girls looked at each other in confusion and looked back at me with blank expressions.

"Sorry, Lucy, but there was no word of a new prisoner that I know of." Milliana said sadly. She could tell how distressed I was and she placed her hand on my arm for comfort. I sighed and rolled my head back. If Gray wasn't here, then he must still be in the dungeons. The only problem with that was that I had no idea where the dungeon was located.

"Hey everyone." I turned my head sharply to see Juvia smiling down at us. Her hands were clasped in front of her and I noticed immediately how dirty she was. It looked like she had been rolling around in mud. Her hair was disheveled and her face was stained with dirt, but she was still smiling as though she had just woken up on Christmas morning.

"Juvia, what happened?" I asked, looked her up and down. I suddenly felt very concerned. What had the masters asked her to do? Juvia chuckled and shook her head.

"Don't worry, Lucy, I'm fine. I just had to tend to a new roaming slave. I'm supposed to train him today and I was just with him." She explained happily. She took a seat at the table while I joined her and Milliana walked back to her own seat. Lisanna chuckled and moved closely to Juvia, wiggling her eyebrows.

"I bet you were just with him. Looks like someone's got it bad." She teased. Juvia turned bright red and coughed, trying to cover up her obvious lovesickness.

"What? No, I don't. I just met him. Besides, he couldn't be interested in me. He was badly beaten up, though." She said sadly, her smile faltering. "You should have seen how injured and torn up he was. I spent all night trying to wash out his wounds and trying to fix him up so he wouldn't get infected. I don't know what happened to him, but it was obvious that whatever it was cut deep, not just physically, but emotionally as well. He was so… broken…" She whispered, looking down. I was only half paying attention. If I'd really been listening, I may have caught the way her face fell when she talked about how injured her new slave was.

"He was brought to the dungeons. If I hadn't been there to help him clean up, he may not have survived the night. He's so different from the other slaves who are brought in. I could tell from the way he carried himself, even in his lowest form, that he doesn't belong here. Even the chain around his neck seemed too far expertly crafted for any slave to own." My ears suddenly perked up and I whirled around to face her.

"This chain, did it have a pendant on it that looks like a sword?" Juvia looked at me in surprise and cocked her head in confusion. "The pendant. Was it a sword? From a distance it kind of looks like a cross." I prodded, grabbing her shoulders. She looked at me like I was an insane person.

"I mean, I think so. I don't really remember." She stuttered in confusion, giving me a weird look. I didn't care. This boy that she'd taken care of; he had to be Gray.

"What did he look like?" I urged her giving her a slight shake. She pushed my hands off my shoulders and frowned at me.

"He was tall, he had black hair, and he was very injured. What else do you need to know? Why are you so interested?" I sucked in a sharp breath as the rest of the table looked at each other in recognition. They realized that the boy Juvia had taken care of and the boy I was looking for were in fact the same person.

"Did he tell you his name?" Juvia crossed her arms at me, now giving me a glare. I knew I was annoying her, but at the moment, I didn't care. I needed to know if the boy who Juvia knew was my fiancé. My finger unconsciously drifted toward the ring on my left hand and started twisting it around my finger.

"Yeah, he did. He said his name was… Gray…" She trailed off, after saying his name, her eyes zeroed in on the ring on my finger. "Your ring…" She whispered before realization hit her. "He's your fiancé! The one you told me you could no longer trust!" I sighed and threw my head back in relief. A ghost of a smile crept its way on my face as I grasped Juvia's hands and looked up at her stunned face.

"Yes, he is. But, Juvia, I was wrong about him. I need to see him. Please, can you take me too him?" She gave me a long and hard look before pursing her lips and nodding. She stood up and pulled her hands out of mine as I quickly stood up after her.

"He's getting dressed. I'm supposed to train him today and my first duty was to bring him to breakfast. He's right across the hall." Juvia whispered, her voice sounding slightly hoarse.

I wanted to ask her if she was feeling all right, but my head was clogged with a sense of giddiness. I was going to get to see him again. Finally, I was going to get to touch him and hug him and be with him without worrying about expectation or anyone trying to hurt us. As I pictured Gray's face in my mind, I started to realize that I may look at him as more than just a friend after all.

Juvia led me across the hall and pushed the door open to the changing room. I inhaled sharply as I saw Gray struggling to button up his shirt. He was clean again and there was no more blood on his face or on his body. However, white bandages seemed to cover every inch of his chest except for the right side where I could see am X-shaped scar that I knew had been there before he had been captured from a fencing accident.

Juvia quickly walked over to him and helped him to button his shirt while I continued to stare, watching the way his eyes softened in gratitude and the way he breathed a sigh of relief when he was in no more pain. He hadn't noticed me yet, and I wasn't sure if I would be able to speak until he did. Luckily, I didn't have to announce myself as Juvia pointed in my direction, causing him to look over.

At once, the tears started to flow as his eyes widened in shock. I felt myself started to blubber and whimper as he advanced towards me, his arms outstretched. I fell into his embrace and started sobbing, noting immediately how much cooler his arms were in comparison to Natsu's. It was still comforting and I was so happy he was here with me. I cried into his shoulder as he whispered softly in my ear.

"I'm here now, Lucy. You don't need to be afraid anymore. I will never let them hurt you again…"

 ** _Well! Exams are in two weeks, I'm stressed out and procrastinating, but hey, life's life! Hope you all enjoyed! Leave a review!_**


	21. 20: A Plan of Attack

**_Hey guys welcome back! Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews. Seriously, they bring a smile to my face 3_**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

Chapter 20: A Plan of Attack

Lucy

It didn't take long before I became comfortable around Gray again. He had that sort of effect on me. Whenever he was around, I always felt calm and collected. He was my partner in crime for everything, even if most of it was for show. There is always a time when the show stops becoming a show and starts becoming real.

Just like old times, Gray and I walked together, whispering quietly to each other as we made our way to the table. Juvia was trailing behind us somewhere and I wanted to thank her, but I was too engulfed in what Gray was saying to me. After the attack, Gray found out what his parents had been up to. He agreed to take over both corporations, but he made it clear that once the police found me and brought me home, he would step down and hand Heartfilia Corp back to its rightful heir.

Two weeks after the attack, the police gave up the mission to find me, deeming that I was probably already dead. Gray had insisted that I couldn't be dead because if they had wanted me dead, they could have simply killed me during the attack. The police refused to investigate further, so Gray started using the new resources he had to try and find out more about the Dragon Slayer Gang. He had found several cases in the town of Magnolia that could be linked to the gang, so he traveled there alone.

There, he met a young cop in training, Cana, who showed him everything she knew about the cases. She was the only cop in the city who was looking into the matter because everyone else had either been payed off, or were too scared to go after the Gang. With Cana's information and Gray's resources, they started developing a plan to infiltrate the gang.

However, Cana had been captured a week later and Gray was left alone in Magnolia. One night, he was walking back to his hotel in Magnolia when he was ambushed by two men. One blond with a scar over his eyebrow and one with black hair like a curtain over his eyes with a scar across his nose. The two captured him and blindfolded him. They brought him here and Zeref had started torturing him for information about an undercover alliance started my Gray's parents to overthrow the gang.

"Sting and Rogue." I said as we sat down. Lisanna and Yukino looked over at us with interest. "They're the ones who captured you. They're two of Natsu's advisors." Gray stared at me intently.

"Lucy, how much do you know about this place?" I looked him right in the eye and pursed my lips.

"I know enough." I deadpanned. Gray smirked and nodded. He looked around the table at all the slaves looking back at him. He looked at Juvia and Milliana and then back to me.

"Then I guess we need a plan of attack. I know you, Lucy. Do you have an escape plan?" he asked, grinning at me. I looked around the table at everyone who was looking at me. Milliana was giving me a pitiful look while Mira was giving me an assuring one. _Escape_. It was a word that I had long since forgotten. I couldn't remember how long it had been since I thought about escape. I looked back and Gray and gave him a short nod. I had a plan.

"There's a window on the second floor hallway. It's not guarded or watched. It's far enough up that no one will suspect us of escaping, but it's low enough that if we fall, we won't get injured too badly. All we need is a rope." Gray nodded.

"Okay great, so we have an escape window. Now all we need is a direction to run in and a place to go. Also, we can't have everyone escape at the same time. It'll be too noticeable if we all leave at the same time. There should be two or three people. I vote that the people who've been here the longest go, because they need to see the light of day." Gray said generously. Kinana suddenly spoke up. I realized that this had been only the second time that I had ever heard her speak.

"No, Gray, I disagree. If one of us goes, then there is a chance that the police won't believe us. They have either been paid off or they won't care. Either way, someone known in the world should go. I think you and Lucy should escape and come back for us." Gray stared at her while I cast my eyes to the floor. I was secretly praying that I would be the one to escape. I couldn't bare being here any longer. I knew that was selfish of me and I knew that I should be like Gray and want other people to go, but he hadn't been here for long. He didn't know what it was like…

"No, I shouldn't go." Gray said solemnly. "I just got here, it's not fair to those who have been here for years. Lucy, you should go and alert the authorities. They'll believe you. But someone else should go with you." I jerked my head up and gave Gray a sharp look.

"I'm not leaving without you. No way in hell." I reached over and grasped Gray's hand. He looked down at my hand and laced his fingers in between mine, smiling softly. I gazed into his cool blue eyes and felt my heart flutter slightly.

"I'll go." I turned my head sharply to see that Juvia had spoken up. "All three of us will go. I'm the only roaming slave which means that I don't need an excuse to be by that window. I can get the sheets for rope and I can take Gray so he won't get lost. In this way, I can give the authorities more Intel about this place and both of you can make sure that we get enough people to attack this place and bring it down for good." Gray looked at Juvia and then back at me and gave me a short nod.

"Okay, so we have our people. Now we just need to have a destination."

"Magnolia." I said without hesitation. The table's attention was turned back to me as I cleared my throat. "My first day here, I was snooping around in Natsu's room and I found that this mansion is only a few miles away from the city. If we run straight through the thicket, we're bound to find it. Then we can head back to where you were staying, get all your stuff and go straight to the authorities in Konzern City. They owe a lot to my father so it shouldn't be a problem to get them on board."

"Magnolia is just north of here." Everyone turned abruptly to the new voice at the head of the table. Cana grinned down at us with a drink in her hand. She smirked at Gray and winked, causing him to blush slightly. Now, she was only in a blue bra and brown leather pants. Her scars on her stomach and back were on display for everyone to see. "Hatching an escape plan, I see. Can I help?" she plopped down next to Juvia who shifted away slightly.

"You know how to get to Magnolia from here?" Gray asked. She shrugged.

"More or less. I know that we are located about ten miles south of the city. If you head straight north, you should get to the city in two or three hours. That is, if you're willing to run the whole way." She deadpanned, taking a long swig from her drink. I eyed the bottle she was holding and wondered if it was really just water in there.

"We'll have the thicket to hide us if we need it." Gray said. He rubbed his hands together and smiled. "Alright, let's get down to the nitty gritty details."

"First of all, I don't think we should leave right away." Juvia said. "They are going to be watching us. Especially you, Gray. They want to make sure that you stay in check. So I propose that we leave in five days." I nodded as they others agreed. Gray clasped his hands in front of him and frowned.

"I can't have a pristine record, though. If I'm too good, they'll be suspicious. I need to have at least one outbreak. Something where they'll punish me enough that it'll look like I've been broken." My head snapped to his and I stared at him in shock. Cana grinned.

"I can help you there, big boy. No one knows how to start a ruckus more than me." Gray smiled. Before he could accept her offer, I grabbed his shoulder and forced him to look at me.

"No, Gray, are you crazy? They won't just punish you, they'll kill you. They have no reason to keep us alive anymore. If we step out of line, they will kill us. This escape plan is our only option, we have to take it and you can't mess it up. I won't let you die while you're here. I survived this far and I'm not going to let it go to waste." Gray grasped my hand and lifted it to his lips. He placed a soft hiss on my fingers and I sighed, tears welling up in my eyes.

"They won't kill me. They can't. Don't worry, I'll be okay. You'll just have to trust me, alright?" I shook my head, but his cool blue eyes were firm. There was something else I wasn't getting. Something that he wasn't telling me. I stared into his eyes and saw someone desperate but determined. I realized that maybe Gray wasn't as helpless as I thought he would be. Maybe he had a plan. I trusted him. Whatever he was planning, I'd be ready.

"Okay… okay." I said quietly. Gray smiled and pulled me into a hug. I sighed into his warm chest and tried not to move too much because I knew he was still injured.

"Well, as much as I'm enjoying this little PDA session. I think it's about time that Gray and I discuss what our plan of attack is." Cana said sarcastically. I smiled and pulled away as gray chuckled. He stood up with her, wincing slightly, and squeezed my hand one more time before following Cana out of the slave hall. I took in a sharp breath as my lips started trembling.

"I-I think I'm going to lock myself in my room. I don't trust myself not to go down and try to stop him again." I said quietly. Juvia stood up with me.

"I'll walk you there." She said kindly. I smiled at her gratefully and followed her out of the hall, trying not to think about the amount of torture that Gray was about to be put under. All for me. All because I wanted to get out of here and I wanted to leave before I'd have to face Natsu again.

I guess it wouldn't matter, now. I would have to face the music sooner or later.

Juvia left me inside my rooms with the assurance that she would look after Gray. She had already healed him once, I wasn't worried about her skills. I was more worried about the number of injuries he was going to sustain from this. Gray was resilient, I knew that much. He could take any punch they could dish out. I'd seen him train before. I wasn't allowed to train myself because I was a lady, but that didn't stop me from observing.

One of Gray's main strengths in a fight was his defense. When I watched him in hand-to-hand combat, he was agile and nimble on his feet and ended up beginning the fight bobbing and weaving his opponent's strikes. When he found and opening, he attacked swiftly and severely. He rarely ever got hit, but when he did, it would just get brushed off and he would head back into the fight at full strength.

Sometimes I wished my father had trained me to fight. Maybe I would have escaped earlier if I knew. Maybe I wouldn't have been taken advantage of so quickly if I could defend myself.

I was sitting on my bed with my door locked when I heard Natsu walk in. My ears perked and I stiffened, but I did not face the door. I heard him scuffle around and pause, probably looking at the note I had ripped up that morning. I heard him step to my door and my lips pursed as I heard him knock timidly.

"Lucy?" I didn't reply. I clenched my fists and prayed that he would just leave me alone. I really couldn't handle this right now.

"Butter—Lucy, please talk to me. I know you're upset, but we need to figure this out." I narrowed my eyes and curled my lip as the doorknob shook. "Come on, open the door, I know you're in there." I shook my head. I would not allow him to coax me back into his good graces. Everything that came out of his mouth was a lie as far as I was concerned. No way in hell was I going to allow him to look at me the same way again.

"I'm going to break down this door. I'm serious, Lucy, open the door _now_." His timid tone abruptly changed into a cold and angry lash. My head shifted and I frowned. I was so sick of his bi-polar attitude. One minute he was caring for me and smiling at me like I was a delicate flower, the next he was throwing me aside like a piece of garbage. It was too much for me. I was so done. I stood up, anger boiling within me. I wanted him to know just how much I hated him now. This would be the last time I ever spoke to him. I prepared myself and walked to the door.

"One—two—" He started counting and I opened the door, glaring up into his yellow-green pools. I noticed then how bad he looked. There were dark bags under his eyes and his hair was disheveled even more than usual. His scarf was ripped and there was a thin cut on his chin. He had been in a fight. And from the looks of it, he'd lost. I was about to ask if he was okay when I caught myself. I didn't care if he was okay or not. He could be dying for all I care.

"Okay look, Lucy. I know you're angry with me and you have every right to be. I know what I did was harsh and I'm sorry, but you stepped out of line. I told you to drop it, but you didn't trust me and you had to go off on your own. If I hadn't held you the way I did, Zeref would have killed both of you. I'm sorry I hit you and roughed you up but it had to be done. You went too far this time, Lucy. This kind of insubordination can't be taken lightly." He ran his fingers through his hair as I stared at him in disbelief.

"You think I'm angry with you for hitting me?" I whispered slowly. Natsu looked down at me in confusion.

"You're not mad because of that?" I wanted to punch him in the mouth.

"How about the fact that you lied to me? How about when you ripped my world apart? How about when you made me believe that I everything I stood for had been a lie? How about when you touched me and cherished me and then threw me aside like it all meant nothing? You are a coward, Natsu Dragneel, and if you ever come near me again, I will not stop fighting you. I will keep being insubordinate and I will keep on giving you hell until one day, you'll have to kill me." I hissed thoroughly before attempting to slam the door in his face.

Unfortunately for me, his hand was there, blocking the door.

"Wait, Lucy, you don't understand. I was trying to protect you. It was better that you thought there was nothing left for you so you didn't try to escape. If you knew that your fiancé was still looking for you, you would have done everything to get back to him. I lied to you to protect you."

"Oh yeah, I feel _so_ protected!" I snapped, stepping backwards as he walked in the room.

"Lucy—" He tried to grab my arm but I shifted out of his reach, pushing him away.

"Get away from me, don't touch me. I never want you to touch me again. I know I mean nothing to you, so just leave me alone!"

"What do you mean you don't mean anything to me? Lucy I gave up most of my lifestyle for you! I'd never had a slave in my life and then I picked you to protect you from others. I tried to keep you away from Zeref's wrath to protect you, but you wouldn't hear for it. I tried to keep you from a false reality that you would create for yourself. Of course, I care about you, Lucy! How can I not care?" he bellowed, throwing his arms up in the air. I turned away, tears forming in my eyes.

"Then you should have helped me escape. You should have let me leave. If you truly cared, you wouldn't have kissed me and then threw me under the bus." I croaked out. Natsu froze, staring intently at me before sighing and speaking softly.

"I never meant to hurt you, Lucy." He whispered silently. I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms, letting some of my tears fall.

"Well, you did." I spat bitterly. He sighed and looked down.

"How do I make it better?" He asked humbly. I looked up at him and let my eyes trace over his figure. Just being in his presence was making me feel so conflicted and confused. He was the bad guy, the person who put me in this mess and yet here he was, arguing that it had all been to protect me. I didn't know what to think anymore.

"Leave me alone." I whispered. "Please." He sighed in frustration but obeyed my wishes and walked back through the door. He paused before shutting it, looked back over at me.

"Don't think that kiss didn't mean anything, Lucy." He said gingerly. "I haven't stopped thinking about it since the minute it happened."

 ** _So yeah... that happened._**

 ** _Anyway, next update probably won't be for a little while. Exams are next week and then I'm heading to visit my grandparents for Christmas_** **** ** _break. I'll to write as much as I can, but no guarantees for a quick update. Have a great Christmas! or Hanukkah! or quanza! Or whatever it is you celebrate!_**


	22. 21: Escape from Hell

_**Yeah I know. I should be studying. But honestly, I'm kind of like 'eff that' amiright? In my opinion, exams are pretty stupid anyway. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 21: Escape from Hell

 _Natsu_

This week had been all but torturous. After Zeref had thoroughly questioned the Fullbuster boy, he started sending out all of his own advisors and mine to do all the dirty work of silencing the rebellion. I was tasked with bringing order to Rosemary Village with Siegrain and spend most of my day away from the mansion. Every night, I would return and walk into Lucy's room to speak to her, but she was either asleep or in the shower. I knew she was avoiding me, but I couldn't stand the thought of never speaking to her again.

A few months ago, I would have dived at the chance to kidnap and ruin a princess' life, but now that I did, I hated myself for it. Lucy was strong-willed and passionate, but those were more flaws than merits, especially in this environment. I tried to protect her from everything this world had to offer, but all I did was make it worse. I lied to her to get the note back to save my own ass, but at the same time to keep her from trying to escape. She was in so much danger and she didn't even know it.

Just like the Fullbuster, she was useless to us now. One more slip up and she would die. And this time, there would be nothing I could do to stop it.

I was especially scared for her now because I was leaving tonight. I had to go do some of Zeref's dirty work. I was furious that I was being sent away, but I knew that I deserved it. I had stepped out of line one too many times and Zeref was punishing me. I had to retrieve money from someone who was refusing to pay his debts to us. The last time I had ever been on a trip like this was when I was fourteen, before I had any of my advisors. Sting, Rogue, and Wendy were coming with me and we had been planning for the past two days.

I started bringing up left-overs from the dinner table for Lucy, but she would never eat them. I knew I had really screwed up this time. I needed to get back into her good graces, but honestly I just didn't know how. There was only one thing she wanted and I couldn't give that to her. Now I just had to hope that she would accept my apology and let me back in. I knew it was just wishful thinking, but I still had hope.

I still remembered the texture of her skin under my fingertips. So smooth, so soft. Her body reacted to my touch and I felt my whole body set on fire when I kissed her. That feeling wasn't normal. I had been with several girls before and none of them had compared to what I felt with buttercup.

Maybe I was looking too much into it. We were opposites. A princess and a gang lord could never be together. Everything that happened had seen to that. I was going to become the leader of this place. I couldn't be tied down by a slave. I had to stay focused.

Unfortunately for me, the image of her flushed cheeks and swollen lips made it really hard to focus.

 _Lucy_

Today was the day. Juvia and I had been planning it with precision. I knew that Natsu was leaving so I would be home free. Gray, on the other hand, was being watched closely. He had one outbreak with Cana three days ago and the guard had not stopped watching him since then. But it was easier now, because Juvia had managed to spend a lot of time with him to show him all the ropes of being a roaming slave.

The plan was simple. Once the guard came around to do their final rounds of check before the night, I would slip out of my room and bring the rope I had made out of my sheets and spare clothes in the closet. I would wait by the window and if any guard caught me, I would inform them that I was doing laundry. Juvia would get Gray out of his cell early this morning to do some more slave training. However, she would keep him hidden with her until night fell so no one would questions where he was. He would be in training. Then, the two of them would meet me at the window. We would jump out the window and hide the rope in the bushes outside the mansion.

Then it would be time to run. We knew that it would take us a while to get to the town, so we would pace ourselves. We'd start in a sprint for twenty minutes to put as much distance between us and the mansion as we could. Then, we would jog for another thirty. Once we were sure that we were clear, we would start walking to catch our breath. Then we would go in intervals of ten minute walk, ten minute jog all the way until we reached the town. Once we reached the town, we would go back to Gray's hotel and grab money and clothes. Then we would catch the first train out.

I had repeated the plan several times in my head. I had changed into an airy blouse and soft pants that were easy to move around in. I tied my hair into a high ponytail and stuffed the makeshift rope into a laundry sack. I heard Natsu leave and I sighed, beginning to pace around the room. I needed to wait until the guard came to do their final rounds. I knew I should sleep, but I couldn't seem to settle down. I was so nervous. If we were caught, we would be killed. But if we stayed, we would be killed as well. We had to take this risk.

I had been pacing for when seemed like an eternity when I heard the guard outside my door. They jiggled my doorknob, making sure it was locked before heading on. I breathed out a sigh I didn't know I was holding and grabbed the laundry sack. My door was locked from the outside, but I knew Natsu's wasn't.

I opened his door and peered through just to make sure he really wasn't there. I looked down to see another plate of food waiting for me. Today, it was bread with some noodles. There was a note next to it. I narrowed my eyes and picked it up.

 _Won't be back for a few days. Stay out of trouble—N_

I rolled my eyes and tossed the note. Stay out of trouble my ass. Just as I was about to leave. I paused, looking down at the bread. Sighing, I quickly picked it up and ate it. I knew I would need strength and Natsu's pathetic attempt at an apology would do the trick.

With fuel in my stomach, I took a deep breath and walked out the door. I walked quickly, making sure to keep a good bearing on my surroundings. All through this week, I had walked to the window several times, some with my eyes closed, so I knew exactly how to get there, even in the dark. I was not going to let a single thing loose in this operation. We only had one shot. Everything had to be perfect.

I finally reached the window and looked around me quickly before opening the window and tossing the makeshift rope out the window. I tied the other end to the windowsill and yanked on it to make sure that it would hold. I wasn't great at tying knots so I knew that Gray would fix it when he got here. I peered out the window and stared down at the forest around it. I had a compass tucked safely in my pocket so that we could keep our direction north. I had found the compass on Natsu's table and I snatched it quickly, before he had a chance to notice. Now I knew we wouldn't get lost.

Just as I was about to start pacing worriedly, two figures appeared at the end of the hall. They were jogging soundlessly toward me. I breathed a sigh of relief as Gray and Juvia's faces came into the light. Gray was wearing an unbuttoned shirt that left his chest bare and black baggy pants. Juvia was wearing about what I was. We were ready for the long trek ahead. I smiled as they reached me and pulled Juvia into a hug. She returned it briefly as I turned to Gray. He smiled warmly at me and pulled me into a hug as well.

"Good to see you again, Lucy." He breathed in my ear. I shivered and almost pouted, disappointed that he hadn't called me 'buttercup'. I had gotten so used to it, I was expecting people to call me that instead of my name. My thoughts drifted to the pink-haired boy who had given me the nickname, but quickly shook it out of my head. I needed to focus.

"Okay, are we ready?" I asked. Juvia and Gray both nodded as we approached the window.

"Gray, you go first." Juvia said firmly. Gray looked over at her in confusion.

"Why am I going first? Shouldn't I be the last one to go?" He whispered sharply. Juvia shook her head and pointed at the window.

"You need to go. In case a guard comes, Lucy and I have a better chance of playing it off. Besides, you'll have a better chance of making it out than either of us will alone." I nodded, agreeing with her. Gray pursed his lips, looking at me, then at Juvia.

" _Go now_." Juvia hissed. Gray sighed and pulled her into a long embrace. I suddenly felt very awkward, like I was interrupting something. I fidgeted slightly as Gray let her go and put his hands on her shoulder.

"I'll be right behind you." She said softly. I licked my lips and bit down on my lower lip. Gray looked over at me and gave me a determined nod. He climbed out of the window and began to lower himself down. Juvia gave me a little push toward the window.

"You're next." She said firmly. I wanted to protest, but the look in her eyes made me stop. I nodded and grasped her hand, squeezing it.

"You're right behind us." I said quietly. She smiled and nodded. I turned to the window and peered over the edge. Gray had just landed and he looked up at me and gestured for me to come down.

I took a deep breath and sat on the sill, throwing my legs over the edge. I tried not the look down as I grasped the makeshift rope and slowly pushed myself off the ledge. I held onto the rope and planted my feet on the side of the wall. I took a deep breath and started to lower myself down. I had always hated heights and this was like complete torture for me. I tried to remember to breathe as I slowly walked down, letting only an inch of rope slip at a time.

"Come on, Lucy, you got it." Gray encouraged from below. I closed my eyes as I kept going. Suddenly, my foot slipped. Letting out a gasp, my hands shook and the roped slipped out of my hands. I fell fast, flailing my arms and trying to grab the rope again. Instead of crashing into the ground and dying, like I thought was going to happen, I landed in a pair of arms.

"Damn…" Gray swore from under me. I gasped and scrambled out of his arms and onto the stable ground. I started to apologize frantically inspecting him for anywhere I could have hurt him. He shook me off and looked back up at the window as I did the same.

Juvia's head poked out. Her eyes were wide and her face was white. She placed her index finger on her lips and pulled her head back. I frowned in confusion as the rope was suddenly thrown out the window and fell to our feet. Gray growled as he looked back up. The window slammed shut and it was silent.

"Damnit, what happened?" Gray hissed. I grabbed his arm and pulled him against the wall, placing my finger on my lips.

"She probably saw someone coming." I whispered. Gray's eyes widened in fear.

"She'll be killed." He said in a panic. He started to stand up again, but I grabbed his hand and roughly pulled him back down.

"No, Gray, we can't go back up there. She'll be fine. She's smart, she'll figure it out." He looked so pained and worried. I felt my heart clench. Had he ever looked like that for me? "Gray, the best chance we have of helping her is to escape right now. We'll come back. She'll be okay." Gray sighed and I squeezed his hand. He looked up at me and nodded.

"Okay, let's go."

No sooner than we stood up did we see lights appear from all around us. I gasped in shock as I heard the yells and shouts of the guard. They knew. They were coming after us. Gray grabbed my hand and pulled me with him as we started sprinting into the thicket. I heard the yells and shouts and the pounding of feet. No, pounding of hooves. They were chasing us on horses.

"Gray! We'll never outrun them!" I shouted to him. He didn't stop as he kept barreling through the thicket, pulling me behind him. I could barely keep up and was tripping and stumbling on every third branch.

"We don't need to outrun them." Gray deadpanned. Before I could ask what he meant, he stopped and I rammed right into his back. He abruptly turned to me and ducked down. Before I could ask what he was doing, I yelped as he lifted me up. He turned back around and lifted me high up, close to the branches of the huge trees.

"Climb, Lucy, climb up!" He ordered. I grabbed the branch just above me and strained my arms to pull me up. Gray's hands were latched around the back of my thighs and he pushed me up, letting me swing my leg on the tree. I balanced on the branch and tucked my feet under me, standing up slightly, Gray jumped up after me and helped me climb up to one of the top branches, shielded from view because of the leaves.

I sat down on the branch, out of breath as Gray climbed up next to me. He grabbed the branch above us and pressed his body over mine, almost like he was using his body as a human shield. He was panting heavily, making too much noise. He was holding himself up by his arms. He didn't have a good place to put his feet so it was mostly arm strength. As subtly as I could, I slipped my arms around his body and held him close to me. I did it to calm his heartbeat, but also to take the pressure off his arms.

He whispered a small 'thank you' in my ear and we waited in the treetops together. We waited as quietly as we could.

For either our escape or our demise…

 ** _Leave a review! You guys are awesome!_**


	23. 22: Torture for the Ages

_**Yoooo! So liiiike, I just caught up to the anime in the Tartaros arc and liiiike, I'm kind of fangirl crazy right now. Like seriously imma try not to spoil anything, but Gray just got like over 9000 times hotter (which is already pretty much impossible since he just hot as ice) (also pun totally intended**_ __ _ **with the "over 9000" thing)**_

 _ **annnywaaaays, Enjoy!**_

Chapter 22: Torture for the Ages

 _Lucy_

It felt like years before we heard anything. From the treetops, we were concealed. But one small movement would make us visible and an easy target. I dared not to look down as I held Gray close to me, focusing on his warm breath by my ear. We were prepared to jump down at any time to sprint, but we had to wait to be sure that we were alone. The forest was quiet, the only sound that could be heard was our shaky breathing. I gulped as I tried to focus on the rustle of leaves and the soft whisper of forest life.

There was no other sound. The forest was too quiet.

I opened my eyes and looked around, I kept my movements minimal and tried not to look down, but I knew something was wrong. The feeling of Gray's tense muscles under my hands told me that he had felt it too. I pressed my lips on his shoulder and took a deep breath. I just had to stay calm. I would be okay. We would be okay. There was no way they could see us. There was no way that they would catch us—

Suddenly, and arrow whizzed by my ear and stuck to the tree trunk behind me. I let out a shout as Gray cursed. He slipped and suddenly, the branch holding us up snapped and we fell. I screamed as we fell through the air. We landed on the ground, me on my back and Gray on his stomach. My whole body stung from the impact and I tried to push myself up, only to feel a sharp pain in my leg. I whimpered and lay back down as Gray pushed himself up on his knees. He gasped.

At least a dozen guards on huge black horse surrounded us, pointing scary black sticks at us. I cringed as one of the stick lit up with electricity. They were electric shockers. Gray crawled over to me and helped me to sit upright. I grabbed my hurt leg and felt my eyes tearing up as the guards came closer. Gray was okay. He had to escape without me. He could still make it.

Suddenly, one of the guards jabbed Gray in the back with his shocker. Gray screamed and fell down next to me, writhing in pain. I yelped in fear as I tried to grab Gray. Before I could touch him, an electric shock passed through my body from a cold metal object on my back I screamed, feeling my brain fry. I fell back down to the ground as my vision started to fail. Before I blacked out, one of the guards jumped off his horse and looked over me.

"Pile them onto the spare horse. Zeref wants them alive."

I woke up immobilized. I tried to sit up but I found that my chest had been strapped down with my arms and legs on a levitated chair. I opened my eyes and tried to lift my head but I found that there was a strap over my forehead, preventing me from moving my head up. I could, however turn my head. Panic immediately surged through me as I realized just how helpless I was. I couldn't fight, I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything.

"It's pointless to struggle." My head whipped around, trying to see the voice. The white walls around me felt blinding as I tried to see where I was. A face appeared over me and I almost screamed in fear. It was woman, but her face had been twisted and shaped into a horrifying depiction of a demon. She had horns protruding from her head. I had heard of body modifications like this, but I had no idea how far it could go. I almost threw up right there.

"W-who…" I started to speak, but my voice was drowned out by her laughter. Her cruel eyes looked back down at me and she grinned. And then I felt it. The true, penetrating fear that I had so long tried to avoid. This woman had no sympathy. There was no light in her eyes, nothing that I could decipher as good. She was empty and hollow. And now, she was going to kill me.

I couldn't move, I couldn't fight. Begging would do no good because she looked like she had already made up her mind. I was going to die, right here and now. Even after I had fought so hard to survive, this was where I would end up dying. Vulnerable and defenseless, strapped down completely.

"I hope you're ready." The woman said, grinning. She reached over me and pressed a button on my chair. It made my chair move so I was now more upright and I could see a lot more. There was a machine to my left with wires and tubes coming out of it and either attaching to the wall or the straps around my body. My stomach and legs were bare and there were white tabs stuck to them, connected to the wires in the machine. Just the sight of being hooked up to this torture machine made me want to jump out of my own skin.

The woman left my side and pressed a button on the wall. The wall on my left started to move. I jerked my head around and saw that it wasn't a wall, but it was a blind. As it rolled up, I looked into another white room separated by a glass wall. I gasped and my eyes bugged out of my head as I saw Gray pacing in the middle of the room. As soon as his eyes saw me, he opened his mouth and ran to the glass window, pounding on the glass. He looked like he was screaming, but I couldn't hear a thing.

"Your boyfriend is lucky. He only has to listen. He won't have to feel." The woman said cruelly, her eyes glinting. "He won't have to feel what Zeref has asked me to try. But he will get to hear all of your screams." She grinned as though she'd been given and early Christmas present. I gulped and whirled my head to Gray's fearfully.

Gray continued to pound against the glass and yell and scream, but we couldn't hear him. He looked right at me and his eyes said it all. This was the end for us. Trying to be much braver than I felt, I turned my head back to the woman and gulped.

"W-what are you going to d-do to me?" I stammered, my hands beginning to shake. The women started to press some buttons on the machine. The straps suddenly tightened around my limbs and I gasped, now truly unable to move at all.

"Zeref gave me the order to try out some new torture techniques on his new favorite prisoners. Don't worry, we won't kill you just yet. I like the slow kind of death, don't you? Starvation is my favorite. Especially when you put two people in one room together. Then it gets really interesting." She flashed her teeth at me. "It's pretty fascinating how fast you can turn good people into _cannibals_." I started to pant, my heartbeat speeding up. "They become _monsters_ so quickly. You would be surprised how fast your humanity _leaves_ you on a quest for survival." My started to struggle against the straps, now scared shitless.

"N-no, please…" I whispered, jerking against the straps. The woman laughed and walked over to me, grabbing another white tab. Even with all my struggling, she had no problem sticking the tab right on the center of my forehead. I don't know what happened, but in that moment, I started to cry. I whimpered and struggled, trying to choke down on my sobs. I had never felt this helpless in my life.

"Begging already?" The woman sneered, walking back to the machine. "That usually doesn't happen until after the first go around. You must be incredibly weak." She giggled. "Just the way I like 'em." She raised her fingers over the control board. "Don't hold back, now. This is my favorite part." She pressed the button and my body set on fire.

Screaming, crying, screaming, sobbing, I was a mess. The tabs all on my body started electrocuting me at the same time and I could feel my entire body shake from the pain. My eyes were wild and I was flailing around wildly, screaming and sobbing at the same time. I don't know how long I was under that much pain, but it felt like three eternities. As quickly as it came, the pain vanished and I was left panting and racking in sobs.

"Please, no more... God, please… I can't… I can't…" my eyes fluttered as I felt my whole body's energy drop tremendously. I could barely keep my eyes open. I was too close to falling unconscious. Any more of this and I would die easily. The woman's laughter echoed in my ears.

"Sorry, little lady, but we're just getting started. That was the electrocution torture. Next, let's try something else. How about some burning torture? I've always wanted to brand a specimen, you know." My breathing picked up and I stared crying harder.

"No! No, please... Please don't do this! Please... _No_!" My pleas meant nothing as her finger pressed down on the machine and my piercing screams filled the tiny white room.

 _Natsu_

I sighed as the train rolled into the town. Sting and Rogue sat across from me as Wendy sat next to me. We were supposed to stay in town for a night and then get the man the next day. Wendy said she needed to go shopping anyway, because her clothes weren't appropriate for this mission. Reluctantly, Sting, Rogue, and I agreed to follow her around.

"Finally here!" Sting said, leaning against the glass. I could understand his relief. We'd been in the train for six whole hours. My but was killing me for sitting in one place for so long. Rogue shifted awake and looked out the window in boredom. Sometimes, I wished I could be like him. He was so quiet and laid back. He let others deal with conflict and only got involved when he needed to. I wished I could just not care like him.

"Awesome! I can finally move my legs. They're all numb, now. I knew I should have walked around the train." Wendy complained, standing up. I stood up along with her and pursed my lips.

"I told you, we have to keep our presence on the DL. If anyone finds out we're here, they could tip the target off." I said grimly. Wendy peered at me, but she didn't say anything. I knew why she was looking at me skeptically. I had barely said a word the whole ride here. In fact, I had barely said anything to anyone since the day we captured the Fullbuster boy.

The day I kissed my buttercup.

I shook my head, trying to get her out of my head as we exited the train quickly. Sting was teasing Wendy about the new clothes she needed as we made our way to the downtown area. Wendy immediately hit the shops and the three of us ended up having to judge her outfits. Sting got way into it and became a fashion designer in two minutes. Rogue and I sat on the couches, completely bored out of our minds. Rogue looked over at me as Wendy and Sting fought over which dress to get.

"Are you okay? You know Zeref hasn't sent you do anything like this since you were fourteen." Rogue said softly. I narrowed my eyes and looked away, avoiding direct eye contact.

"I'm well aware." I snapped angrily. Rogue sighed and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Come on, Natsu, I know you. It's something else, isn't it? You know you're going to have to talk to someone. If you don't talk to me, that's fine. At least talk to Wendy. She's been really worried about you these past couple of weeks. Think about it." He released my shoulder and stood up. I watched as he walked over to the two bickering teenagers and pointed at one of the dresses, making their decision final.

Rogue was right. This wasn't just about Zeref sending me away. I was starting to question everything I had come to know. I always knew that I was a bad person and that the things I did ruined lives for a lot of people. But I never felt truly bad about what I did. I got more money and power and that was enough for me. But these last few weeks had opened my eyes to something else. Maybe I wasn't as cut out to be a ruthless leader as I thought. I hated hurting people, but I forced my disgust down. Why did I force it down? Was it because I was too scared to let it show in front of my father?

Why did I even have any disgust in the first place? I am Natsu Dragneel, heir to the Dragon Slayer Gang. I was born in iron and this was second nature to me. This was everything I knew and I shouldn't have even had any good in me at all. Good is weakness. And then _she_ came into my life. She was _good_. She was so purely _good_ and I had no idea how to deal with that. I found it so hard to snuff out her light. She was at home now, hating me because I tainted her white soul. I knew it would happen eventually, so why did I feel so empty inside?

 _"_ _This man has checked out on one too many payments. I want you to go get my money. Do whatever you can. If he has no money or refuses to give it up, get rid of him. I'm tired of dealing with his troubles anyway."_

Zeref's orders echoed in my ears as Sting, Rogue and I peered inside the dark underground club. We had followed the man to this location and Wendy was inside at the bar. She had an earpiece in her ear and Rogue was whispered orders to her. Wendy was wearing a strapless black dress that fitted against her curves and ended just below her rear. It was meant to seductive and alluring so she could easily bait the man.

We were situated at a window just outside the club, leading into an alley. Once Wendy had our man wrapped around her fingers, she would lead him here and we would take care of the rest. I nudged Rogue as I recognized a man near Wendy at the bar. Rogue quickly whispered in the speaker and Wendy turned her attention to the man. She walked over to him and ordered a drink. The two started talking and he bent toward her, smiling greedily. I felt my stomach churn at the sight.

"Tell her to hurry up." I whispered to Rogue. Rogue relayed my order back to Wendy and she put her drink down, curling her hands around his neck. She stuck her lower lip out and pretended to pout. The man's eyes glinted eagerly and he wrapped his arms around her body, squeezing her ass boldly. I gritted my teeth as Wendy took his hand and led him through the club. Rogue, Sting, and I stepped back from the window and leaned against the alley wall, waiting.

"God, I can't wait to tear that tiny dress off you." The door of the club opened and Wendy stepped out with the man right behind her. She looked utterly disgusted at his comment. Sting slammed the door on him as Rogue and I advanced on him. Wendy walked behind me and crossed her arms.

"W-what's happening?" The man stuttered, looking at the three of us brooding over him. Sting and Rogue grabbed his shoulders and forced him on his knees in front of me. I crossed my arms and look down at him, narrowing my eyes. The cold body of the gun pressed against my lower back, hidden from view. I had to use this if it was necessary.

"Are you Charles Rogan?" I asked bluntly, not taking my fierce eyes off his scattered ones. The man looked around fearfully for someone to help him. When he realized no one was coming, panic was evident on his face.

"W-wait, please. I don't have any money but you can have my wallet. Take my keys, anything. Please spare me." He begged, fishing all his belongings out of his pockets. A lump formed in my throat as I stared down at him. _Pathetic_.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked again, looking down at him in disgust. Rogan looked up at me and scanned my features. Realization hit him hard and pure and utter fear rose in his features.

"N-Natsu Dragneel." He whispered, filled with terror. "N-no. Please, understand I will have your money soon, I promise. I need more time, I need more time. _Please_ , please give me another chance." I narrowed my eyes as he raised his hands in surrender.

"You are already late on your payment. We don't accept late fees. If you do not have the money, I do not have any other choice." I reached behind me and pulled out the cool, black handgun. Rogan shook his head frantically as I raised it and pointed the barrel right at his forehead.

"N-no, _please_. Please, no! You can't! _No_!" He raised his hand in prayer and started begging for me to spare him. My eyes narrowed as I clicked the gun into place.

I looked directly into Rogan's helpless eyes as my index finger tightened around the trigger.

 ** _Can anyone guess who the mysterious torture woman is? Leave a review!_**


	24. 23: Rise of the Tainted

_**Merry Christmas! It has been a while, and I'm sorry. I'm having a lovely break, how about you? Family, presents, eggnog, what more could a girl ask for?**_

 _ **Anyway, i hope you all enjoy this chapter :)**_

Chapter 23: Rise of the Tainted

 _Natsu_

I pushed the door of our hotel room open and staggered inside. Sting, Rogue, and Wendy followed behind me as I drifted into our room, a ghost from the rest of the world. My hands shook as I put the murder weapon down on the table. I leaned against the dresser and gritted my teeth. _What have I done_?

"Natsu…" Wendy whispered, reaching out for me. I jerked back and pushed her hand away.

" _Don't_!" I hissed. "Just leave me alone." I shoved her aside and clumsily walked to the bathroom. Rogue tried to stop me, but I gave him a lethal look and he recoiled quickly. I slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it, leaning against the door. I shook my head. Then I shook it again. I let out a scream that echoed through the tiny room and rang like bells in my ears. I grabbed the radio and turned it up to full blast, reveling in the loud metal rock that blasted through the speakers. I turned on the shower and set it to its hottest setting and quickly stripped off my clothes.

I had never felt so confused and angry in my life. Sure I could get irritated easily and I wasn't the most intelligent human being on the planet. But what I had done today had gone completely against everything I had ever grown up to live by.

 _I closed my finger around the trigger and frowned, ready to take away this man's life. He kept pleading and begging and I found it completely pathetic. All the more reason to end his life. His sorry, pathetic, useless life. But for some reason, my finger would not pull the trigger. My finger would not execute him. Although my brain was ordering my hand to cooperate, it wouldn't. I couldn't kill this man._

 _I let out an exasperated sigh and lowered the gun._

 _"_ _Leave town." I whispered gruffly. Rogan looked up at me with wide eyes. "Get out of town and change your name. Get a new residence, build a new life and never look back on this. Do not come near the Dragon Slayer Gang again or we will be forced to end your life. Go." Rogan stammered thanks and apologies and quickly stood up, pushing past Sting and Rogue and scurrying into the night_.

I slammed my fist into the wall, gritting my teeth. I let the man go. I should have killed him right there on the spot. I should have taken his life and done what I was meant to do. I should have followed Zeref's orders and taken the damn shot. If not me, I should have made one of the others do it. I should not have let him go.

Why? _Why_ did I let him go? I had all the authority, all the power, I couldn't care less about the man's life. Why did I give it up? Why did I show weakness? It didn't make any sense to me. I should have been jumping at the chance to kill some street rats. I should have been ecstatic to feel the cock of the gun as I pulled the trigger. Why did I hesitate? Why did I go back?

I let out a low growl. No one could know about this. If word got out that I had let one of them go, they would see me as weak and pathetic. I couldn't let that happen. I had to make sure that everyone thought I had killed that man. I had to compose myself and push my feelings to the pit of my stomach. All the feelings of confusion and anger would have to go unattended and I would need to be cold. Cold, ruthless, merciless. _A killer_.

I turned the shower off and stepped out, pulling the towel around me. I took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. My hair was dripping down my shoulders and my face was pale. But I was collected. I shoved my feelings away and made my face impassive and cruel. I pulled my clothes back on and wrapped my scarf around my neck. Pausing slightly, I pulled the scarf off and looked at it for a second. Closing my eyes, I tucked the scarf away into my pocket instead of wearing it.

I turned the radio and walked out of the bathroom, my fists clenched at my sides. Wendy, Sting and Rogue were all sitting on the bed, talking quietly to each other. They looked up at me as I appeared before them. They were all giving me looks as though I was a ticking time-bomb. I lifted my chin and gave them a cruel look, narrowing my eyes.

"No one will hear about what happened tonight." I stated grimly. Wendy gave Sting a sideways glance and stood up, reaching her arms out to me.

"Natsu… let's talk about this." She whispered softly. I clenched my jaw and hardened my glare as she paused, staring fearfully at my face.

"There's nothing to talk about." I snapped harshly. She stepped back as though I had physically hurt her. "And that's _Master_ Natsu to you. Don't forget it." I hissed.

Wendy's lower lip trembled, but she said nothing, staring me down with an iron glare. Rogue pushed his hair back and looked me in the eye, giving me a disapproving look while Sting grabbed Wendy's hand and pulled her back. I looked away from my advisors and glanced out the window. The night sky seemed to taunt me with its peaks of light shining in from the stars and the windows of other buildings.

I had made a grave mistake today, and there was no going back. I could cover it up, but I would have to sell it. I would have to sell the lie that I could be the cruel, cold-blooded leader I was born to be.

 _Lucy_

I don't know how long it's been. I don't know how much pain and torture I've endured. My body feels like lead and I am completely immobile. I don't need the straps anymore. I wouldn't be able to move if I wanted to. My body aches and my head pounds continuously. I can barely open my eyelids and I strain to breathe. I know I'm not dead. I know that I'm far from dead. But I am not living. I am in limbo.

Every time I would come back into consciousness, the woman would be there, taunting me. The third time I had woken up, I couldn't hear anymore. All I could hear was her muffled voice laughing and jeering at me. There was nothing I could do. The minute I would wake up, the pain would start again and I would start screaming. Sometimes I thought I was too exhausted to scream, but then the pain came and I couldn't help it. I welcomed the abyss every time I fell unconscious and I reveled in the blackness.

I didn't know how much longer I could handle this. I was already at my limit, every session becoming shorter and shorter because my pain threshold would become weaker and weaker. I was starving and yet I wasn't. I knew they were feeding me through tubes to keep me barely alive. I watched as the woman stuck the needle in my arm and forced water down my throat. There had never been a time in my life when I wanted to die. But right now, I would have given anything to be shot in the head. To escape from this hell.

Why are they doing this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? Was I too arrogant? Did I think that I was smart enough to get past them without facing collateral damage? Should I have listened to their orders? Should I have just done what I was told? Why would they punish me for trying to survive? Why would they keep me alive when I was ready to just give up?

There was no hope for me now. No one was coming to rescue me, that much I knew. No one knew I was here. No one would care either way. The police gave up on me after only two weeks. I meant nothing. I was going to die in this place without leaving a scratch on the world.

No one will remember me. No one will care about how I died or why I died. I'm not a princess anymore. I'm nobody. I'm nobody…

 _Natsu_

Returning to the mansion, I could feel a shift in the air. Something had happened while I was away, but I couldn't tell what. Honestly, I really didn't care. I just wanted to sleep. The night before I had tossed and turned all through the night, thinking about what I had had done, or what I _didn't_ do.

Images of the man's face kept popping into my head and I couldn't understand why I couldn't just finish him. There was something in his eyes that made me stop. There was something in their depths that was all too familiar. A look of despair and fragility. A look of hopelessness and futility that I had seen once before. A look I would never forget. It was the same look on my mother's face before she was shot dead right before my eyes. My real mother.

It was true I was very young and I don't remember much of the details. I remember being with her, playing with her and then a dark figure coming in and killing her. My memory since then is blurred and I don't really remember what happened or how I came into this life. All I have left of my old life is a smile, a twinkling of green eyes and a look. The one look that has kept me from hurting anyone from the very beginning. Even now, all I can remember is those green eyes. And yet… somehow, when I look at those green eyes now, I see familiar brown eyes next to them.

Buttercup was the first one to voice it. She told me I wasn't like Zeref. She was right, to an extent. But she didn't understand what I had to endure to get to this point. She didn't understand how much I hurt on the inside. She didn't know how many scars were on my body. She would never know how much torture and suffering I had to endure to be here. There was no way I was going to give it up that quickly.

I made my way back to my room and pushed the door open, my eyelids drooping from exhaustion. I trudged inside and fell onto my bed face first. My eyes glanced toward her door and I noticed that the food I had left for her was gone. I smiled, happy that she had eaten it at last. Maybe she was ready to forgive me. I sat up and looked around the room. I frowned, surprised that everything was exactly where I had left it. I looked at my desk and noticed that the list of chores was still sitting there, exactly where I had put it last.

I stood up, now confused. I knew that it had only been a couple of days, but I would have thought that Lucy would have done the chores by now. Even more, I was surprised that nothing was out of place. If anything, I knew she would read or something to pass the time. She had a strange fascination with books and I knew she liked to go through my collection. So why did it look like nothing had been touched since I left?

I walked over to her door and was about to knock when I saw the door was already open a crack. I pushed the door open and looked inside. She wasn't there, but that wasn't what surprised me. What surprised me was the barren sheets and closet. It looked like she had stripped all her sheets and clothes clean. There was a laundry bag gone as well. I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was just doing laundry.

I walked out of the room and went in search of my buttercup. I don't know what compelled me to do so. I knew she would just return to the rooms later. I just couldn't sit and wait. I needed to do something to put my mind off everything else. I walked to the laundry room and peeked my head inside. The slaves stiffened and gasped in fear as I scanned the room. No buttercup. Grumbling under my breath I walked out, ignoring the stunned slaves.

I continued to walk around the castle both in search of buttercup, and to distract my head. I walked down my advisor's hallway and paused, staring at something I didn't think I'd ever see. It was the Lady Levy herself stand with Gajeel. She was crying and he was holding her. He was holding her. That kind of hug was not like a friend's hug. No, there was something else going on there. I narrowed my eyes. Gajeel had never shown interest in women before and I was even considering the fact that he might be gay. But from this point of view, my deduction was all but wrong. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her petite body and I almost felt like an intruder in this moment.

I sighed and continued to walk down the hall, approaching them. When Gajeel saw me, his eyes narrowed to slits and his arms tensed around Levy, but he didn't release her. She lifted her head and turned around to face me, Gajeel's hand clasped tightly in hers. I gritted my teeth as I advanced on them.

"Lord Natsu…" Levy whispered harshly as I came closer. There was something in her voice that made me falter slightly. It was the same tone she held when she was yelling at me for hurting buttercup. It was like I had betrayed her trust and now she was forcing her hatred down.

"Lady Levy. Gajeel." I said, acknowledging both of them. "What's going on here?"

" _Like you don't know_!" Levy's outburst took me by surprise and I took a step back. Gajeel pulled Levy behind him and gave her a warning look. Her hands shook as she clenched down on Gajeel's arm. I looked at Gajeel and saw something I never thought I'd see in his eyes. _Betrayal_. He no longer trusted me. Why? What had I done?

"What's going on?" I asked again. Gajeel narrowed his eyes as Levy shook with anger behind him.

"Is it true?" He whispered harshly. I stared at him in confusion. "Did you really give the order for them to kill her?"

"What? Kill who?" I asked, taking a step forward. They weren't making any sense. I had just gotten back, how could I have given the order to execute anyone? Levy shoved passed Gajeel and brandished her finger in my face, fury written across her face and tears streaming down her cheeks.

" _Lucy, damnit_!" Levy screamed. " _Lucy is dead because of you!_ "

 _ **AAAAnnnd there you have it folks. The last chapter of the book.**_

 _ **JKJKJKJK Toooootally kidding. Did i get you?**_

 _ **I am so cruel XD Leave a review!**_


	25. 24: The First Advisor

**_You guys have no idea how much your words mean to me. Honestly, it warms my heart every time I get a sweet review. Anyway, here is the last update of 2015. Next time i see you will be in 2016! Wow, it feels like it's still 2012..._**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

Chapter 24: The First Advisor

 _Natsu_

" _Lucy is dead because of you_!" Levy's voice echoed in my brain and all I could picture was her face. Lucy's calm, sweet face. The face that had been so angry with me so many times, and yet still held that beautiful elegance and poise. Those eyes that were so big that I could see all the emotions. Those lips that I wanted to ravish every time I looked at her.

 _How could she be dead? My fault_?

"W-what?" I let out. It wasn't possible. She couldn't be dead. I had seen her not three days ago. Granted she was furious with me, but she was alive. She was very much alive.

"You know, I thought you were different I thought maybe you actually cared for her. But I was wrong. I never should have trusted her with you. I never should have allowed her to be near you. You're a monster, Natsu Dragneel. You're a plague that brings death and destruction to all who come in contact with you. You deserve every inch of your punishment in the fiery pits of hell." Levy's harsh words stung as I was forced to take a step back, my eyes wide with fear. Gajeel grabbed her hands and pulled her back behind him, obviously trying to protect her.

Trying to protect her from me.

"S-she's not… she can't be…" I stumbled backwards, clutching my forehead. It was unfathomable. How was I reacting in such a way? How was I even reacting at all? How much did I care for this girl? The thought of never holding her again, of never having her yell at me, of never having her kiss me, of never having her look at me again… No, god, she couldn't be dead.

"H-how do you know?" I questioned gruffly, my voice cracking. Levy's tears continued to flow as she stepped out from behind Gajeel, anger still obvious in her stare. She thought I did it. I didn't do it. I never could have done it. I would never do it. Never…

"Zeref told me. She tried to escape and he told me that the order for her execution had been given by his first advisor. _You're_ his first advisor! I _know_ it was you! Don't play dumb!" I gasped, staring at her in shock.

"S-she tried to escape?" I whispered dully. "What was she thinking?" my hands shook as Levy's words replayed over and over again in my head. Something about execution and… the first advisor. My eyes almost bugged out of my head in fear.

"No…" I whispered. "It wasn't me. I'm not his first advisor…" I lifted my head up and looked Gajeel right in the eyes. "He's back, Gajeel…" I whispered. Gajeel stared at me in confusion until realization lit his features. He put his hand on Levy's shoulder and stared at me in terror.

"Oh god…" he whispered. We both knew who was here. The man who had been gone for over a year. He said it was a vacation, but he was only supposed to be gone for a few months. After a year, he still hadn't returned and I was hoping that he had given up on this life for good. But that obviously wasn't the case.

"Who?" Levy asked, glancing between the two of us. I gulped and cast my eyes to the floor, gritting my teeth.

"It wasn't me." I said again. "I'm not Zeref's first advisor. This man has been gone for over a year. I can't believe he's back…" I trailed off, staring at the ground, hard. I lifted my gaze back up to Levy who was still staring at me like I'd gone crazy. "If this man captured Lucy as she escaped, then he wouldn't have killed her. It's not his style to just kill. He likes to experiment and toy with his prey. So she'll be alive… but in what condition…" I clenched my hands to fists and turned around sharply.

"Gajeel, stay with Levy. I'm going to see if the rumors are true. I'm going to get her back." I commanded. I turned on my heel and all but marched away, anger seeping through my veins. If I was right, then Lucy wouldn't be dead. But maybe death would be a much more merciful punishment for escape if my thoughts were correct.

I was terrified of him. Of the one person who could destroy everything for me. There was a reason that I never stepped out of line. There was a reason that I always did what Zeref asked. There was a reason that I become this cruel. Zeref had laid it on the table for me before I had even had the chance to consider my options. _You are my heir. But if you fail, he will take your place._

I could be replaced. Everything Lucy had been saying to me was true. I was Zeref's son and I should have more say. But she didn't understand. If Zeref deemed me weak, if he thought I was at all unworthy, he cast me aside and use _him_ instead. _He_ was loyal, _he_ was reliable. But I had to prove that I was more than him. If I couldn't that, then I would be nothing. There would be nothing left for me. I'd be trapped in a prison that I'd been a part of too long to escape.

Growing up, I'd always been taught to be tough as nails and as hard as iron as I could. But Zeref wasn't the one who taught me that. He was too busy running his gang. No, I was taught everything I knew from _him_. He was like an older brother to me, someone I could count on. For a time, anyway.

By the time I was fourteen and had started taking on real leadership roles in the gang, he had become my opponent, my enemy. We competed in everything. I knew it wasn't healthy for our relationship, but I didn't care. He knew how to push my buttons and how to make me so furious that I had to compete just to keep my dignity. Our relationship turned south as I started to hire advisors for myself. He was always Zeref's best friend and first advisor, but the sight of me assembling my own team threatened him. So, a year ago, he took action.

It was _him_ that started our negotiations with the Fullbusters. He started the ongoing relationship with the company. We monitored their profits while they gave us funds. We were their body guards, their protectors, and they were our sponsors. Together, we flourished. At least we flourished until the Fullbusters hit a wall. The Heartfilia Corps. _He_ had left us a year ago for negotiations and had not come back. Zeref had assumed he was taking a vacation. I wasn't so sure.

Now that the Fullbusters and the Heartfilias were over, it was only natural that he came back. I should have known that this wouldn't be the end of our feud. It shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise that he was back. My brother, my mentor, my teacher, my competitor, my rival…

I took a deep breath as I stopped in front of Zeref's office. I only had bad memories of this place. I gritted my teeth as I put my hand on the doorknob. I really hoped I was wrong about all this.

Pushing the door open, I stepped inside and came face to face with _him_. The one and only person who posed an immediate threat to my entire lifestyle.

"Mard Geer." I whispered softly. He was standing in front of Zeref's desk with his hands tucked behind his back. In front of him, in rags and chains, was a slave who seemed very familiar.

Mard was still sporting his long cascading black hair partly tied in a ponytail with a long black trench coat. His face was a beacon of cruelty, with a smirk permanently etched onto his lips. His eyes were narrow and he had small irises. Unlike my eyes, his were always calm and collected. He was cunning, able to mask away any and all emotion. He considered emotions weaknesses. I considered emotions fuel. It was only a first of our many differences.

"Natsu Dragneel. It's been far too long, brother." Mard stepped around the kneeling and panting slave as he walked over to me. I frowned and narrowed my eyes as he held out his hand. Only hesitating for a slight second, I clasped his arm in greeting.

"Never expected to see you again. What brought you back?" I asked as Mard turned away from me and walked back to his toy. I glanced at the slave girl who was silently crying. Her blue hair was disheveled and matted and her face was ashen. It seemed to me like Mard had been torturing her for quite some time. Her brown rags barely covered her chest and hips as her chains dug into her skin. Glancing to the side, I saw a whip tainted with blood, which explained why her back was a mess of gashes and gouges.

"Lord Zeref formally asked me to return. He asked me to look after the castle while he was away." Mard replied, smiling down at the slave girl. I cringed as he lifted his leg and whacked the girl's face with his knee.

"Lord Zeref is away?" I managed to rush out, turning Mard's attention on me, and away from her.

"He didn't tell you? He's gone to clean up some messy business. I assumed he would tell _you_ , of all people. You deserve to know where he is going. You know, he told me he was worried about you. You've been acting up, acting out. It's not like you, Natsu. I suppose that's why he entrusted his castle to me, instead of you." My blood boiled as Mard's smirk widened. Gritting my teeth, I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. I wasn't here to squabble with him. I was here to find my buttercup.

"My slave." I said sharply, causing Mard to glance up in interest. "She tried to escape. What did you do with her?" Mard blinked at me as I stared him down, hard. He then smiled and let out a light chuckle.

"Oh, you mean the blond bimbo? I had her executed. The penalty for trying to escape is quite straightforward, you know. She's lucky I decided to be merciful" I felt a huge weight on my heart as my chest started to burn at his statement. I took a deep breath and pushed away all negative thoughts. I looked up and stared directly into Mard's narrow eyes.

"You're lying." I said sharply. Mard's eyebrows raised slightly as I took a step forward. "I know you, Mard Geer. You wouldn't have just executed her like that. You are anything but merciful. What did you do with her?" Mard narrowed his eyes, his smirk ever-present.

"Why do you care so much? Quite the bold claim for someone who hasn't seen me in over a year." He said smoothly, twirling a strand of his long black hair through his fingers.

"Because she is my slave and therefore, my responsibility. I dictate how she will be punished, and you will return her to me now." I commanded, not giving him a reason to argue. He had to obey me. I was of higher rank than him, even now. Mard's smirk never faded and his eyes glinted in amusement.

"Ah, now there's where you're wrong, young Master. The slave is under the jurisdiction of the lord of the house. Lord Zeref appointed _me_ as lord, therefore, I shall do whatever I please with her." I wanted to lash out at him, but I held my composure. Now, I knew she was alive. He talked in the present tense, that meant that Lucy was still alive, somewhere, somewhere in this castle. I sighed and lifted my chin. I would have to concede if I ever wanted to save her. I started to plan my departure as my eyes drifted back to the slave girl.

"Who is this?" I asked abruptly cursing myself for being so blunt. Mard glanced down at the girl and rolled his eyes as she whimpered. He crouched down to her level and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up. He smirked at her helpless expression and looked back over at me.

"This little slave tried to help your precious serf and a prisoner escape from this castle. Treason is punishable by death, but I'm having too much fun watching her suffer." He grinned, leaning forward and sniffing her hair. I closed my eyes and tried to repel the disgust that was rising in the pit of my stomach. I knew Mard was a sadist, but sometimes I forgot just how messed up he really was.

"Too bad." I whispered gruffly. Mard stood up and looked at me as I lifted my chin and smirked, cruelly. "I was quite looking forward to punishing that blond slut." I could feel the cold side of my personality leap into action as I licked my lips, as though I was thinking about her punishment. "Now that you've taken her from me, I have no one left on whom to… unleash." I mustered a sadistic grin and glanced hungrily at the slave.

"You've had your fun, Mard." I whispered in angst. "Would it be against your nature to deprive _me_ of the same pleasure?" Mard's eyes never left mine as I stared hungrily at the girl, trying to make myself look as sadistic and psychotic as I could. Mard looked at me skeptically before bursting out laughing.

"You never did get over your addiction for blood, did you Natsu?" He said, laughing some more. I cringed at the repressed memories of the things I had done to impress my father. Mard's laughter calmed as he began to wipe tears from his eyes. "Go on, then, take her. I can see just how much you want to devour this one." Bowing my head in respect, I stalked over to the slave girl and roughly yanked her to a standing position.

"Lord Geer." I said, bowing again. Mard nodded his head in return, still chuckling at me. I pulled the girl out of the room with me as fast as I could. As soon as we were outside, I pulled her aside and scanned her wounds.

"You're okay." I said softly. As soon as she heard my gentle voice, tears started spilling out of her eyes and I had to look around me nervously, afraid that people would hear her. "Hey, look, I know what you just went through was painful, but you have to pull yourself together." I ordered softly. She whimpered and tried to stop her tears for my sake. Sighing, I pulled my scarf out of my pocket and handed it to her to wipe her tears. She stared up at me in surprise, but immediately her eyes changed back to desperate as she took the scarf and sobbed into it.

"T-they're dead… G-gray and Lucy are d-" she could barely finish her sentence before she was racked with sobs again. I grabbed her shoulders and shook them sharply, causing her to look up into my eyes in shock and a little bit of fear.

"Listen to me. They aren't dead. Unless you saw Mard Geer kill them yourself, then I know they aren't dead. We will find them. We're going to save them." I cupped her cheek with my hand as she tried to stop her tears.

I sighed and looked up past her. I narrowed my eyes and cracked my knuckles. Maybe my life wasn't clear at the moment. Maybe I wasn't sure what I really wanted out of life and I was confused and scared. But one thing was certain. I was going to save my buttercup, even if it meant giving my own life.

 _ **Ok guys, so I need you to be patient with the next update. I don't know when I'll get the chance to post again, so just know that I'm trying my best and I'll get a nice episode up as soon as I can. Thanks for understanding!**_


	26. 25: Birth of the Insurgent

_**Happy New Year peeps! I hate going back to school after a long break. Oh well, you know how it is. Hope you enjoy!**_

Chapter 25: Birth of the Insurgent

 _Natsu_

The slave girl, whose name I still didn't know, trailed softly behind me as I left the way through the dark halls. I knew of only one other place besides the dungeons where they could have taken Lucy. I knew that Mard Geer was a sadist and I knew how much he loved experimenting with his prisoners. I just hoped I wasn't too late.

I took a small hall that branched off from the main hall as subtly as I could. Nobody could know where I was going. If someone saw, they would warn Mard Geer and he would be on me before I even had the chance to get Lucy out. She was my goal. Once she was out of there and free, then I could worry about my own consequences. I knew that I wasn't going to go through hell after all of this, but I couldn't dwell on that now. I had to save her.

Soon, we reached a dead end, freed by a white door. As we entered through the door, the walls became pure white instead of the stone grey. Now the halls looked more like a hospital. I had only been down here once in my life and that was because I had randomly stumbled across this place as a kid. I was never shown the full extent of the horrors of this place. The slave girl stumble clumsily behind me and reminded me that she was there. I hadn't really acknowledged her since I got her away from Geer. I knew she was Lucy's friend and that was about it.

Soon, we reached a hallways with a dozen doors on either side. I paused and glanced in the window of each door. It led to a dual room with a glass window separating them, but they were empty. As we peaked through each door, I felt an uneasy shift in the air that made my hair on my arms and neck stand upright. I gasped as the door on the end opened and a woman stepped through, crossing her arms and giving me an amused smirk.

"Well, well. I never expected to see _you_ in here." The woman said, grinning and showing off her sharp teeth. Her face had been modified so horrifyingly that it was hard for me to truly look into her eyes. The horns protruding from her head sent shivers down my spine as I stared at her nurse's outfit, trying to keep my eyes off her face.

"Kyoka." I said softly, stepping in front of the slave girl. Kyoka's eyes glinted in amusement as she scanned my appearance. This was one of Zeref's advisors and his personal torture master. She had only recently gotten horns on her head after modifying the rest of her face to look like a demon. She was superficial like that, enjoying the fear she gave people because of her appearance.

"I'm here to relieve you of your duties." I growled, eyeing the door she had just come from. Lucy had to be in there. Kyoka laughed and kicked the door shut. I heard the soft click of a lock and I narrowed my eyes as Kyoka waved the keys around her index finger and then tauntingly tucked it into her front pocket.

"Oh, you mean you're here to take your slave back?" She asked with a smile. I clenched my fists as she licked her lips hungrily. "That's too bad. I was having such fun with her. She was an excellent specimen, you know. She had the loveliest screams." I growled and suddenly, I was storming across the hallway, raising my arms aimed at her throat.

" _Shut up_." I hissed, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her back against the wall. I wrapped my hands around her neck and began to squeeze, trying to wipe that grin off her face. "If you have killed her, I will rain down on you tenfold what you did to her." I growled, squeezing tighter. Kyoka coughed in laughter as her hand reached up to pulled mine down from her neck enough so she could speak.

"I didn't realize how much you cared for her. You know Lord Mard Geer told me that you were attached, but this is just delicious." Her eyes widened and she grinned wide, bending closer to me. "You'll be lucky if there's any human left in her after what I've put her through. You know the whole time, she kept screaming for help. She kept screaming for _you_. She believed you would save her, but you never came." My hands shook as I banged her back against the wall.

" _Shut up_!" I yelled, digging my thumbs in her throat. She began to cough and gag and her hands around my wrists loosened. "I will _kill_ you for this, Kyoka. Mark my words, you are _lucky_ that I am feeling merciful today. Any other day and you would be dead at my feet. _Don't forget it_." I threatened grimly. Then I lifted her up and smacked her head against the wall, causing her to gasp in pain and collapse unconscious at my feet.

I turned back around, feeling my hands shake in fury. I was _so angry_. I was angry at Zeref for allowing this. I was angry at Mard Geer for ordering this. I was angry at Kyoka for executing it. But most of all, I was angry at myself for not seeing it sooner. For not knowing what was going to happen. For not _saving her_ when I had the chance.

The slave girl stared at me with wide eyes like I was a stranger. I took a deep breath and turned toward the locked door. I knew that if I was in my right mind I would just grab the keys from Kyoka's unconscious body. But I was way past in my right mind. I walked straight up to the door and lifted my leg up. Using every ounce of strength I had, fueled by my unwavering anger and kicked the door.

Once. Twice. Three times. Finally, after the fourth kick, the door burst open.

I entered, looked around and almost gagged at the sight. I was standing in an atrium of some sort with a glass window leading to two separate rooms one of them had the Fullbuster boy, lying on the ground unconscious with his hands busted and bleeding. It looked like he had been banging his hands on the glass wall for days. In the other room was a sight I never wanted to see again. It was my buttercup lying in a levitated chair, strapped down. She was unconscious, there were tubes and tabs covering her bare body and she was deathly pale.

I took in a ragged breath and shoved the door open, stumbling in after her. I reached the bed and all but ripped the straps and tabs off her body. She jerked slightly when I pulled the tab on her forehead off, but she didn't wake. There were huge red welts on her skin where the tabs had been and her chest had burn markings. It looked like Kyoka had tried a new way of branding. Obviously, it hadn't worked because I couldn't make out a symbol, just a bunch of red scars. I cupped her cheeks and put my two fingers on her pulse under her chin. I breathed a sigh of relief when I felt her steady heartbeat.

I heard a cry of despair behind me and I turned around to see that the slave girl had shoved her way into the other room and had fallen on her knees in front of the Fullbuster boy. She grabbed his upper body and pulled him into a hug. The glass separating both rooms were splattered with blood, telling me that this boy had been banging against the glass for hours, helpless to stop Kyoka from torturing Lucy. I felt a sudden wave of respect for him, even though I still thought he was just a spoiled prince.

Turning back to Lucy, I slipped my arms under her back and thighs and lifted her up, bridal style. I gulped, staring at her ashen cheeks. She was so sick and weak. I hated myself for not finding her sooner. If I had come any later, she could have been dead.

If she died, I don't know how I would have reacted. I don't know how I would have gone on living with myself. This girl had wedged herself into my life and now I couldn't imagine it without her. Whether she was just my slave, or something more, I could imagine a world without her in it. I had to get her out of here. I had to help her escape.

Before I left the hall with Lucy in my arms, I turned around to see that the boy had woken up and the slave girl was whispering gently to him, rubbing his back, while supporting his arm.

"Get him somewhere safe." I ordered. The slave girl's head lifted as she looked at me with Lucy in my arms. "Make sure he's hidden. Look after him. I'll come for him later." I said softly. She nodded and whispered quietly to the boy whose eyes were now trained on me. He looked hostile at first but when he stared into my eyes for a good few seconds, he swallowed and blinked slowly. It was a subtly gesture, but it was heavy in significance. It was a blessing: _I'm entrusting her to you._

I took no time in carrying Lucy out of the white halls of doom. Her head hung limply at my side and her blond hair fell loosely past my forearm. She was wearing brown rags that barely covered her essentials, but right now I couldn't be bothered with looking at her. She wouldn't be attractive even if I wanted to look at her that way. The welts on her skin made me want to vomit and my footsteps quickened just thinking about the pain she was under.

I did not meet any servants or masters in the halls, and for that I was grateful. I did not need any obstacles. I couldn't lie my way out of it, even if I was caught. Honestly, I had no idea what I would do if I had been caught. I had no lies up my sleeve, not tricks I could pull out. All I cared about was getting back to my chambers and caring for the almost dead girl in my arms. She was my only priority now.

I reached my bedroom chambers and kicked the door open with my foot. I entered and frowned at how messy I had left it. I didn't realize how dirty the room could get without my buttercup there to straighten things out. It had been a while since the room had been this messy. The last time t had been like this was before buttercup had ever come into my life. Before I had picked her from a line of slaves just because she amused me.

That all felt like a million years ago now.

I quickly walked over to the bedside table, trying to avoid all the clothes I could easily trip over. My overnight bag was open on the floor and the clothes I had brought on the trip were only a few of the others sprawled across the floor. I quickly lifted Lucy up and placed her gently on the bed. I adjusted her legs and grabbed the blanket that had been carelessly tossed aside the night before. I pulled it over her cold body and adjusted her head under the pillow.

I stood up and looked down at my handiwork, sighing as I stared at her pale face. I felt another wave of anger and my hands shook. I took a deep breath and clenched my hands to fists, closing my eyes. I needed to calm down. Getting angry at what had happened in the past was not going to fix anything. If I wanted to help Lucy at all, I needed to have a level head. I could not be getting angry all the time.

I swallowed the bile in my throat and walked into my bathroom, angrily kicking some clothes aside. I opened my medicine cabinet and pulled out some pills to help with fever and some burn ointment that I had used many times to get rid of burn scars. I also grabbed a glass of water and walked back into my room. I put all the stuff on the bedside table and turned to face my mess of a room.

I wasn't clueless, I knew how to clean and get down on my knees like a dog. Usually, some servant would do it for me even if I didn't have a personal slave. I looked down at Lucy's face and sighed. Hopefully, after this was all over, I'd never have to tell her that I got down on a slave level and cleaned my own rooms. She'd never let me live it down.

I started picking up all the clothes and the dirty underwear on the floor and out them in a laundry basket. I stared cleaning up the dusty shelves and organizing my books. I realized that she had already done most of the work for me, as most of the books were already in alphabetical order. I smiled, glancing at the grasshopper book I had caught her reading. I gulped and looked back at Lucy on the bed and gritted my teeth. I realized now that I was just looking for a distraction.

Turning back to my desk I started sifting through the papers. Suddenly, I heard a gasp behind me. I whirled around and all but dashed back to the bedside table. Lucy's eyes were still shut but she was breathing heavily and her mouth was parted. It looked like she was trying to catch her breath.

"Buttercup…" I whispered, stroking her cheek. She shifted under my touch, but her eyes didn't open. Her shoulders shifted and she titled her chin, almost in response to my touch. I sighed and softly brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Buttercup… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." My free hand fisted at my side and I gulped, looking down in shame.

"All of this is my fault. I am the reason that you were stripped of everything. It's my fault that you're in so much pain. I brought this on you and for that I am so sorry. I don't think you should ever forgive me. I know I wouldn't forgive myself. I don't deserve you or anything you could give me, but I need you to do me a favor. Just this one thing and I'll never bother you again. Please wake up, please be okay. And one day, I will get you out of here. This I swear to you, _I_ _will_."

 _ **Not gonna lie, I started tearing up while I wrote this chapter. Leave a review!**_


	27. 26: Know Your Place

_**AYYYYYYEEEE! How we doin peeps? Sorry it's been a little while.**_

 _ **We are getting to last several chapters of this book and I'm kinda sad. I don't want it to end. so I'm kind of procrastinating on writing cuz of that.**_

 _ **But of course, i can't keep you guys waiting so here you go. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 26: Know Your Place

 _Natsu_

A day had passed and Lucy still hadn't woken. I'd been giving her soup and water and making her swallow it. But her eyes never opened. They fluttered and sometimes she would breathe more deeply than usual, but she never regained consciousness.

I was beginning to worry, but Wendy had come in yesterday and had assured me that she was fine. According to her, her brain had made an association between consciousness and pain. Every time she would wake, she would be tortured, so her brain was keeping her unconscious for as long as it could. I asked her how long it would take for her to wake, but Wendy didn't really know. She assured me that she would not fall into a coma because there was no internal damage to the brain. She was just exhausted and she would wake when she was ready.

Anyway, I had bigger problems today. Zeref was returning and Kyoka had informed Mard Geer of what I'd done. I knew it was only a matter of time before a crier came to my room, informing me that Zeref wanted an audience with me. I knew I had to think of something before Zeref called on me. But I was coming up blank.

I didn't want to fight anymore. I had spent my whole life fighting for survival from the very people whom I should have trusted. All my life I've had to look over my shoulder and watch what I do and say even in my own home. Trust has never been an easy thing for me and I have this life to thank for it. I was just so _tired_ of pretending all the time. Of playing games and tricks with people.

I had no more lies or tricks. I was going to go in there and tell Zeref the truth. I took Lucy out of the torture rooms because I couldn't stand by and watch as an innocent is tortured. Especially when it is in the most inhumane way possible. That's never been who I am and it was about time that I embrace it.

As predicted, the crier had come to my rooms to tell me that Zeref had returned and wanted to speak with me. As I stood in front of his office, staring at the double doors, my courage wavered. This would be the first time I ever went up against Zeref with my own will. Zeref always seemed impenetrable to me and to go against him directly like this seemed unfathomable. I feared that I was not ready for this and I would cower in his wake again as always. But then her face would flicker in my mind and my courage would return.

Taking one more deep breath, I turned the knob in the door and pushed it open, stepping inside boldly.

Zeref was sitting at his desk with his legs kicked up. He was still wearing his dark robes and his leather boots were as shiny as ever. Mard Geer stood beside him, lifting his head up as I entered. The two had obviously been in a hushed conversation before I had interrupted but Mard and Zeref's faces held no recognizable emotions. Mard dipped his head to Zeref in respect and walked around the desk. He approached me, his smirk ever-present, and paused in front of me.

"You know, I was always taught to knock before entering. But maybe manners are too old for you. I understand that chivalry is dead among your generation." Mard sneered. He flashed his teeth at me as I looked away and straight at Zeref.

"You called on me, father." I said, ignoring Mard completely. Zeref shifted in his chair and sighed.

"Leave us." He commanded. Mard chuckled slightly and clapped me on the shoulder before walking past me and exiting the room, the door thudding shut behind him. I swallowed the bile in my throat and looked back up into my father's eyes. I couldn't help but compare him to myself as Zeref watched me, scrutinizing.

His eyes were black holes, unlike mine. It was true, my eyes changed colors, according to my mood and that was usually a dead giveaway for me. My eyes were a yellow-green, but they could look almost black when I was angry. His eyes showed no emotion because they were always in one shade. With lashes as long as my thumbnail, Zeref did not need to try to look intimidating. He could simply glance at someone through his lashes and they would fall to their knees in surrender.

"You've been getting into trouble. I understand you arrived home yesterday and you've already insulted two of my personal advisors, including assault on one of them." Zeref whispered. I gulped and cast my eyes to my shoes.

"I'm sorry, father, but I cannot sit by and watch as my slave is tortured. Kyoka provoked me. She deserved what she got." I replied quietly. I was not as firm as I wanted to be and Zeref sensed that.

"Silence." I gulped as his low voice rang out menacingly. My hands fisted behind my back as Zeref stood up from his chair, anger apparent in his burning eyes. "This is one too many times that you have undermined my authority. I am tired of you insubordination. These last few weeks, you have shown me that you are not ready to be given any kind of responsibility. I gave you a job and you couldn't even complete that." I lifted my chin as Zeref walked around his desk.

"I don't—"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Charles Rogan. You were meant to kill him and you couldn't even manage that. I have never been more disappointed in you, Natsu, and I think you need to explain yourself before I do something rash." His footsteps pounded against the floor, making me cringe with every step until he was directly in front of me.

"I'm sorry, father, I failed you. But please understand, I couldn't kill that man. I just—"

"You just what? Have you grown soft? Do not insult me, Natsu, I know you could have done it. There is another reason and you will tell it to me, or I will ruin you."

"Please, father…"

"Do not call me that, Natsu. I am your lord and your supreme leader and you will address me as such. You don't have a right to call me _father_ , adopted-son." I squeezed my eyes shut as Zeref began to circle around me. "You are nothing more than a bastard. An illegitimate son whose father abandoned him because he was ashamed of him. Your father left you because he hated the sight of you. You were the scum of the street with your whore of a mother who got what she deserved. I picked you up off the streets and raised you as my own. I made you strong when you were horribly weak. I brought you into my own home and _this_ is the thanks I get? Betrayal and weakness?" He paused when he was in front of me again.

My breathing had picked up and I was on the verge of tears. The words he spit with venom hurt me, not just because they were harsh, but because they were _true_.

"My lord, please understand. I could not allow the slave to be treated in such an inhumane way." I rushed out. Zeref's eyes flashed red and suddenly, he backhanded me across the face, causing my head to whip to the side. My cheek stung and I felt the wetness of blood. Something had pierced my skin, causing a gash to form. I slowly turned my head back as I glanced at Zeref's hand. A sharp ring rested around his finger, coated in blood.

"Take care, boy. I have a good mind to strip you of your inheritance right here. I can't have weakness in my gang, especially from my heir. That girl is your slave, nothing more. She is less than human and you need to understand that she means nothing to people like us." I gritted my teeth and looked up, right into my father's eyes. A challenge.

"We are not a monarchy, father!" I stabbed. "We do not have the right over another human's life. When have we ever had the right to control another soul? We are not a court, and you are not a king. You are a gang lord." Zeref lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes to slits.

"No, you are right. I am not a king. But this is _my_ gang, and you will abide by _my_ rules. It seems to me that your loyalties have started to waver. You need to look inside yourself, boy, because I will not tolerate weakness. Now, you will return to your quarters and think about this conversation. Think hard, my son, because you will not get a second chance. You need to decide if you have what it takes to be the next gang lord. I have already spoken with Mard Geer. He is willing to take up the mantle if you are not." My eyes widened in fear. He was being serious. Everything I knew could be stripped from me that very night.

"You would be willing to give him the inheritance, even though he disappeared for a year?" I spat, needing something, anything, to force attention on anything but my disinheritance.

"Mard Geer did not disappear. He was following my orders." Zeref turned on his heel and walked back to his desk. "He is ready to lay down his life for the loyalty of the gang. The question is, are you?" Zeref sat down and waved his hand in dismissal. I gulped, blinking back tears. I dipped my head and turned around, shakily walking back to the door.

"You will give me your decision by the end of the day, or I will make the decision for you." Zeref's command echoed in my ears as I stiffened and opened the door, shuffling out and all but slamming it behind me. I leaned against the back of the door and sighed, feeling weak at the knees.

Everything I had ever been taught was the fight to achieve power. Everything I had ever done was to be powerful, to achieve that control over everything. I knew nothing else. If I didn't have this gang, then what was I? Some good for nothing rat whose father didn't even want him. Maybe I didn't like hurting people or torturing people. But without the power that came with the torture and pain that they had to go through, I would be absolutely nothing. Without that inheritance, I had no reason to keep living.

But I knew for certain that I didn't want to keep living like this. I didn't want to keep looking over my shoulder and watching my every step. I didn't want to keep hurting people for accidents, even if they were severe accidents. Maybe power wasn't all that it was cracked up to be. I always believed that having that control would solve all my problems. But even having more power hadn't stopped the problems, it had caused them.

I had wanted to be like my father. Strong, steady, ruthless. But he wasn't happy. He was miserable, even if he had all that control. Did I even want that anymore?

"Well, looks like someone finally hit a wall." I turned my head to the voice and pursed my lips as one of Zeref's advisors came into view.

"Hello Tempest." I said grimly, pushing myself off the door. Tempest smirked and stepped closer to me. He was a burly young man with dark olive skin and long murky yellow hair. Like Mard Geer, he was always smirking. His eyes were narrow and dark and I can't remember a time when I saw any kind of light in his irises.

"Rumor has it you've gotten soft. Is it true that you protected your own slave? What a pathetic display." He grinned, showing off his white teeth. I narrowed my eyes and squared my shoulder, crossing my arms.

"Honestly, I don't see that as weakness. And you should watch yourself before you insult me so blatantly." Unlike Mard Geer, Tempest had no real duty except to look scary and act tough. I wasn't scared of him like I was the others. He posed no real threat except physically of course. He couldn't hurt me otherwise.

"And what are you going to do about it? Are you going to fight me?" I locked my jaw and scowled, watching as Tempest laughed and crossed his arms. "Need I remind you that last time you fought me, I sent you to the hospital? If we fight again, I can guarantee you will be in a body bag instead of on a stretcher." My lips twitched as Tempest started cracking his knuckles.

"Big words from someone who beat up a fifteen-year-old." Tempest's smirk faded and his eyes darkened. His nose twitched and I braced myself for an attack. Just as he was about to lunge for me, a large body stepped in front of me, blocking his path.

"Watch yourself, Tempest. I don't think you want to pick a fight right now." Laxus's cold voice rang out in the hall as Tempest's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as his eyes widened. Another person walked out from behind me and leaned on Laxus's shoulder. Cobra's eyes were narrowed and his licked his lips in amusement. Out of all my advisors, these were the two scariest. If I had been on the other side of this, I probably would have wet myself. Tempest grunted in defeat and peered behind the two men to look at me.

"Hiding behind your bodyguards? How pathetic. You should face me like a man, unless you're still too much of a child." He stabbed, trying to draw me out. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. I pushed Laxus and Cobra aside and stepped in front of them.

"I'm not hiding behind them, Tempest. I'm just _not interested_." I felt Cobra step up next to me and lean on my shoulder. Normally, I would have shoved him off and given him a glare, but right now I was having too much fun watching Tempest's eyes dilate at the threat he was facing. Cobra grinned, showing off his sharp teeth that he had deliberately gotten sharpened like a snake's ( **A/N: Zing!** ). Cobra's sangria eyes flashed as his licked his lips.

"Let me put this kindly." He said, tilting his head in both amusement and warning. "You can either get out of our faces right now, or we'll give you a new face. And I'm feeling especially creative today." Tempest gulped and stepped back at the obvious threat. He sighed in defeat and pointed at me.

"This isn't over." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, tossing his mustard hair over his shoulder. I sighed and turned back to face my two advisors. Cobra's grin had vanished as he stared at me serious face. Even Laxus looked grim to see me so foreboding.

"Hey, are you okay? It's not like you to turn down a brawl. What's going on?" Cobra asked. Laxus crossed his arms as I looked up to face both of them.

"Go get the others. I want you all in my room in ten minutes. We need to have an emergency meeting." I ordered. Laxus bowed his head and was about to leave when Cobra grabbed his arm and turned back to me.

"Why your room? Shouldn't we go to a conference room instead?" he asked pointedly. I sighed and glanced back at the door to Zeref's office. I gulped and looked down, shaking my head.

"No, come to my room. I don't want to be overheard." Cobra gave me a long stare before nodding and turning around to follow Laxus away. I sighed and pushed my fingers through my tangled hair.

So many things to do… so little time…

 _ **I don't know about y'all, but these last couple of fairy tail episodes be blowin my mind. I'm not much of a manga gal, so I wait for the anime, but yoooooooo It's crazy dude.**_

 _ **Anyway, i hope you enjoyed. leave a review if you did, and don't worry y'all... I will tell you when it is the last chapter. You will know when this story ends. Don't fret. we still have a few chapters to go.**_


	28. 27: The Ultimatum

**_I know it's been forever. I'm sorry about that. I really don't have an excuse, I just got really lazy. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!_**

Chapter 27: The Ultimatum

 _Natsu_

Walking back to my chambers, my mind was in a whirl. Everything was coming down to a single question, now that I had confronted Zeref and saved Lucy. Not killing Charles Rogan was the first straw. The fact that I had intentionally gone against orders to let a man live for not paying his debt was the first sign of rebellion. Normally, I would have been forgiven for it, but I had been making mistake after mistake before this one. That wasn't a mistake. It was intentional.

And then, publically assaulting one of his advisors and taking one of his experiments out from under his nose was another strike. Not only was his specimen a slave, but she was a runaway slave. She had tried to escape from Zeref's own house, which was an incredible amount of disrespect toward him. Choosing to protect her was the more serious violation. I knew that if I made one more mistake, one more error, Zeref would strip me of everything, including my advisors themselves.

I would become a scout or a bodyguard and all my advisors would be spread out over the gang. I couldn't leave because I would be branded a traitor and a target would be painted on my back. I couldn't leave the gang because I knew I wouldn't last two days without an assassin sent to kill me. There were so many enemies out there, and even in my own gang, there would be people out to get me. If I left and Zeref was smart, he would put a bounty on my head and I'd be gone in days.

I was coming down to an impossible decision. It was the decision of kill or be killed. Stay living, survive, but at the cost of other lives, or die and save maybe a few. All my life I had been hard-wired for survival. I couldn't just through it all away like that. And I especially could not drag anyone else into this decision. I had to make it for myself.

As I neared my chambers, I saw a figure in front of the door. I recognized it as Gajeel, pacing up and down. When he saw me, he sighed and walked over quickly.

"Thank god, you're here. Levy wanted to yell at you some more, but then we saw Lucy in your bed and Levy fell apart. She's in there right now with the girl. I was afraid that you were caught by Zeref or Mard Geer. I had no idea he was back. Are you okay?" he rushed out. I smiled at his concern and nodded.

"I didn't know you cared so much, Gajeel." I teased, punching his arm playfully. Gajeel scowled at me and rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, pea brain." He snapped, looking away, embarrassed. I smiled at the weak insult. I glanced at the door to my chambers and imagined Lucy's unconscious body and her friend caring over her, blaming herself for the pain she was in. I knew that feeling all too well. I frowned, thinking about something all of a sudden.

"Gajeel, I have a question for you." I said. He peered at me curiously. "If none of this was happening. If we weren't in a gang. If we were just two normal teenagers. What would you do?" Gajeel gave me a strange look.

"What do you mean? Like in life? Or like… what?" I sighed and looked away, kind of embarrassed.

"I mean with Lady Levy. If there was no politics or money or anything. You were just and boy, and she was just a girl. What would you do?" Gajeel's head snapped to mine and he frowned.

"Well, if there was really nothing in the way, I'd probably try to date her." His eyes widened. "Do not tell her I said that." He ordered. I smiled and lifted my hands in surrender.

"Relax, your secret is safe with me. So you really like her, then?" I asked cautiously. Gajeel sighed, and suddenly his eyes went glassy as though he was imagining something else. His lips curved into a goofy smile and I almost doubled over laughing at the dreamy look in his eyes.

"Yeah, I really do. I don't know how, though. She drives me crazy, but she's so smart and so brave. There's so much soul in that tiny body. Plus, she's the only one that can force me into a suit. She's so freaking stubborn, just like I am and I can't help but be drawn to it. I can't explain it. But I know that there could be something more between us of none of this was in the way." I nodded and suddenly, Gajeel's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up in worry.

"Natsu, I didn't mean that I'd rather it be that way. I know nothing can ever happen between us. I'm still loyal to you. Just you. I'm not going to run off with her and elope or something." I laughed as Gajeel frantically tried to justify his obvious feelings for her. I shook my head and waved my arms.

"Relax, man, I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't questioning your loyalty or anything, I was just curious." Gajeel sighed in relief as I crossed my arms, not really feeling like going inside just yet. "A lot is going to change in the near future. We have to be ready." I looked Gajeel in the eye. "We won't have a choice about our role anymore. So we have to make the right decisions now."

Almost immediately after I said that, I noticed five figures walking down the hall. My other advisors. Laxus was leading the charge with Sting and Rogue following behind him. Wendy looked apprehensive as she looked right at me. I still felt bad about the way I had treated her. I tried to apologize with my eyes as they came closer. Cobra looked more grim than usual. He was eerily calm, even though his eyes shows his thoughts going a mile a minute. He was usually pretty terrifying when he got this quiet.

"Good. You're all here." I said as they walked up to my door. "Let's go inside." I opened my chamber door and my six advisors followed me inside.

Levy was leaning over my bed, dabbing a wet towel on a still unconscious Lucy. She jerked into a standing position as we walked in. she gave me a hard look, but said nothing as she eyed everyone in the room. I nodded at Rogue to close the door and he did, locking it. There was more than enough room for us all to stand in a circle, with my back facing my bed. Levy wrung her hands around the towel and looked around nervously, still unsure as to what we were doing. I took a deep breath.

"I brought you all here today because I'm in trouble." I looked around at each one of my advisors and felt my heart sink at the words I was about to say. "The girl lying in my bed right now is a slave. She is a slave who tried to escape and defied Zeref himself. And I helped her escape and I am nursing her back to health now." Nobody reacted. Nobody was surprised. I supposed that I was letting on more of my feeling than I intended.

"Zeref confronted me today. He is giving me an ultimatum. I have to decide if being the next gang lord is truly what I want." I paused, taking another deep breath. "So I've brought you all here because I feel like I've failed you. I have brought all of you in the middle of something that you don't deserve to be in." I sighed and turned to each of my advisors in person.

"Sting, Rogue, neither of you were born into this world. I coaxed you in and you didn't deserve that. Cobra, I knew you had a rough past and I still drove you deeper into it. Gajeel, you never had to join me, but I convinced you because you and I are so alike. Laxus, you were my senior and you could have been so much more and I still brought you down to my level. And Wendy… I'm so sorry Wendy. You never deserved this life and I brought you in it because I was selfish. I selfishly brought you all here and now you are all facing the same punishment as me." I sighed and took another deep breath before continuing.

"I'm going to give up my claim to this gang. I don't want it. I don't think I ever wanted it. Mard Geer will be the next gang lord, and he will be the better fit. He will be the better leader. So now that I've told you my decision, I have decided that I will release all of you. you can leave the gang, free of any baggage, or you stay and take on a larger rank. I will most likely be downgraded to a scout or something, but you will all continue to rise. I will not pull all of you down with me." I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders as I finished my speech. I dared not look up as I stared at the ground.

"Natsu…" Wendy muttered. I looked up at her and she was giving me a teasing smile, as though she was taunting a little child who did not understand. "Do you really think we all joined you because you convinced us? Do you really think we became _your_ advisors because we wanted to be a part of the gang life?" I frowned, slightly confused. Sting chuckled and I stared at him. I stared at them all. They were all giving me the same look.

"Natsu, we agreed to become your advisors because of _you_. _You_ are our leader, Natsu, we follow _you_. We will always follow you." Wendy said, smiling up at me. I shook my head and Sting laughed again. He threw his arm around my shoulder and ruffled my hair.

"You don't really think we're all going to abandon you like that, do you? You're our brother, Natsu, we'll never leave you. Besides, you wouldn't survive a day without us." I cracked a smile at that. Gajeel shook his head in exasperation.

"You really are a complete idiot aren't you?" He asked wildly. Laxus suddenly let out a bellowing laugh. I stared at him in surprise. I couldn't remember the last time I'd heard him laugh.

"A dunderhead, that's what you are. You didn't force us to join you, Natsu. We did that all on our own." Everyone else agreed whole-heartedly and pushed me or punched me playfully. I stared at all of their smiling faced and felt a lump form in my throat. I tried to swallow it because it was making it hard to breathe. And to speak for that matter.

"I can't believe you guys." I croaked. "I don't deserve you." Sting laughed again, and this time, I laughed with him. Rogue shoved my shoulder lightly.

"Like hell you don't deserve us. Look Natsu, we all know you're not perfect. But do you really think any of us would be able to serve under Mard Geer?" He said, gesturing to everybody. I smiled at him and sighed. I really never realized how lucky I was to have friends like these until this moment.

Suddenly, I heard a groan coming from my bed. I turned around and saw Lucy eyes fluttering. Levy stared at her, and then locked eyes with me. We had a silent conversation and she exhaled slowly through her nose. Then she came forward and walked right past me. She left the room and somehow, everyone understood. One by one, they left, squeezing my shoulder in passing, or giving me a respectful nod. I was barely paying attention. My buttercup was finally awake.

 _Lucy_

My brain struggled to keep me unconscious. I was waiting for that woman's ugly cackle before she started torturing me again. I was sure that this would be my last time ever fully conscious. I wanted very much to just fade away right then and never have to feel that pain again.

Somehow, though, my lungs felt clear. I was breathing easily and my sore body wasn't aching as much. My face felt clean, like all the dust and grime had been scrubbed away, along with my trail of tears. I noticed almost immediately after that my arms were crossed on my stomach instead of strapped down beside me. I was mobile. It then hit me that I wasn't in that infernal chair. I was under a cover and my head was resting over a fluffy pillow. A pillow that seemed very familiar.

Slowly, I allowed my eyes to flutter open. It took me a second to focus, but I realized right away that I was no longer in that white room. I was staring at an orange ceiling with the head of a bed just above me. I brought my eyes down and moved them slightly, recognizing the room I was in almost immediately. I breathed an internal sigh of relief as Natsu's room came into focus. I was safe and no longer in pain. I tilted my head slightly and locked eyes with the one person that could make my heart stop beating at that very moment.

His yellow-green eyes were a frenzy of worry as he stared over me. He pursed his lips, unsure of what to say. There were dark bags under his eyes and he seemed worried. His hands were twiddling near his stomach and his hair was completely disheveled, like he'd been running his fingers through it constantly. He seemed different somehow, like there was a calmer aura around him. His back was straight, and even though he looked tired, he wasn't irritable or angry anymore. He was calm, at peace. He'd never looked more handsome to me.

"Hey." He said awkwardly. I opened my mouth to say something back, but I found that my lips were completely dry and my throat was too scratchy for me to say anything. He noticed and quickly moved to the bedside table, holding up a glass of water and a few pills. He helped me swallow them, even though it hurt going down. He brought another pillow under my head so I could look up.

"I'm… really happy you're awake, buttercup." He said as he sat down next to me on the bed. For some reason, a smile burst on my face and I felt butterflies in my stomach when he called me by that nickname. It was such a comfort to here that name. I had been so afraid that I would never hear it again. I wanted to kiss him right there. But I was too weak to say anything. I only smiled and nodded at him, even though my neck ached.

"A lot has happened, you know. And I want to fill you in, but I know you're still too weak and—" I cut him off by shaking my head, causing me to wince. He protested lightly and I gave him a look. It conveyed a simple message. _I don't want to know about that. I just want to sit with you._

"Okay." He whispered softly. He lightly took my hand and squeezed it. I smiled and closed my eyes, ready, this time, to finally sleep. To sleep peacefully and know that I was no longer in danger. I'd never be in danger as long as he was here to protect me.

 ** _I hope you enjoyed! Please leave me a review saying what you thought!_**

 ** _Also, in my head, we're getting close to the and, but knowing my writing style, it will probably be another ten chapters before it really ends. So i guess you can look forward to that XD_**


	29. 28: Back From the Dead

_**Hello my lovelies! Can you believe we've almost been through a month of 2016? I can't. Life is moving a bit too quickly for my liking. Anywhoot, *breaks out into song* let's get down to business!**_

Chapter 28: Back From the Dead

 _Natsu_

The next several days were probably the hardest I'd ever had to endure. I'd given Zeref my answer and he had dismissed me without a second glance. It was like my answer didn't surprise him at all and he was just waiting for me to finally tell him the truth. For some reason, that made me feel so much worse. I'd been waiting for his anger. I'd been waiting for him to yell at me and to punish me harshly, but he never did.

Mard Geer easily took up the mantle, as though he'd been secretly holding it the whole time. They started stripping me of my inheritance. My clothes were taken away and replaced with older clothes that no longer bore Zeref's mark. My desk had been cleared of all my work and they had even started taking away my huge collection of books. Luckily, they still left me with my chambers, as large as they were, and Lucy still slept peacefully in my bed every day.

I rarely slept. For the past three days, I had slept a total of five hours on the floor of my room, next to the bed. If Lucy had woken, and seen me down there, she probably would have yelled at me and told me to sleep in an actual bed.

But I couldn't sleep in Lucy's bed in the next room. Mard Geer had stripped that room of all its furniture and taken away everything. It was to be used as a sanitation room. Now, since I was no longer in any position of power, Mard Geer had given me the job of sanitation of the castle. I protested immediately when I heard that news. We had slaves for that kind of thing. But Mard insisted that someone needed to watch over the slaves and so that would be my new job. Sanitation Supervisor.

Now Lucy's room was a hole of trash. Slaves tossed their trash in that room and finally, at the end of the month, they would take it out to be disposed of and it would start all over again for the next month. I'd been spending these several days going over my new duties. My old advisors were now downgraded to my level. We were all Sanitation Supervisors of the entire castle and I felt horrible for them. They didn't seem to mind it as much as I did. I had told them several times to leave me, but they wouldn't hear of it. They were too stubborn. I really didn't deserve them.

I had just spent the whole day briefing for the new job with Tempest looking over me. He was enjoying it immensely and I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from jumping him several times throughout the day. I was exhausted and all I wanted was to sleep. The others were just as tired as I was, but they seemed happier. With all the pressure lifted off our shoulders, it was probably the best feeling in the world.

As I left the hall, a crier stopped me and gave me an envelope before leaving me alone. I walked back toward my chambers and ripped the envelope open. I almost gagged at what was in it. It was the adoption papers. _My_ adoption papers. There was a large red stamp over them that read 'Rejected'. Zeref had sent me the end of my life in this gang. I was no longer Zeref's son. Now, I was just another head in the crowd. I meant nothing. And once word got around that I was weak, people would be coming for me.

For the millionth time, I rubbed my head and asked myself if I had made the right choice.

Finally, I reached my chambers and pushed the door open, crumpling the adoption papers in my fist. The sight that greeted me was quite an unexpected one to say the least. Lucy was sitting up on the bed with the covers pulled up to her waist. She held a small book in her hands and was reading patiently. I knew she was getting stronger every day, but I didn't know that she was strong enough to sit up on her own. She looked up as I entered and smiled warmly at me. I found myself smiling back.

"The zombie is awake." I said playfully, shutting the door behind me. Lucy chuckled and closed her book. She could speak now, thanks to the throat medicine I was constantly giving her.

"Well, I would look at who's talking." She said softly. "You look exhausted." Her smiled faltered as her eyes narrowed, scanning my face. I looked away, feeling self-conscious and sighed, pushing my hand through my hair.

"Yeah, well I haven't been sleeping very much. It's a bad habit, I guess." I said awkwardly, shifting on my feet. I don't know why I was always so nervous now that I spoke to her. I still hadn't told her about Zeref rejecting me and me turning down his ultimatum. I wasn't sure what to say to her. This was the first time neither of us had been at each other's throats or making out or something. I realized I didn't know how to have a normal conversation with this girl.

"Natsu, I wanted to thank you." I looked up, surprised. Lucy put the book aside and placed her hands in her lap, staring at her nails. "I know I haven't been the most cooperative. I know that I was probably the worst servant in the world and you had every right to just let me die, but you still saved me. I wanted to thank you for giving up… whatever it was you gave up, to save me. You didn't have to."

"Yes I did." Lucy's eyes flickered to mine as I stepped closer to the bed. "It was my fault that you were in there in the first place. I didn't save you because I felt some obligation. I was making it right. But at the same time, I saved you because I knew that I could never live with myself if I had let you die." I gulped and twisted my hands in my lap. "I knew what I was walking into when I saved you from Kyoka. I knew that it would bring heavy consequences on me. But now, seeing you better again makes it all worth it."

Lucy's eyes softened and she smiled. She held out her hand and I walked over to the side of the bed, sitting down.

"Sometimes, you act like all you care about is your gang and power. I used to think that was who you were and that I couldn't do anything about it. But I'm realizing that you care more about people than you think you do. Even if I was the last person in the world who deserved your sympathy, you'd still give it. And I know that I'm still stuck here and Zeref will probably put me straight back to work once I'm healthy, but at least I know that you'll have my back." She smiled up at me and grasped my hand. I gulped, feeling a hot blush rise to my cheeks.

"Natsu…" She whispered. Her eyelashes fluttered and I felt my heart pounding, like it was when I kissed her for the first time. "What did you give up? What was your punishment?" Her question hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt my throat tighten. I pulled my hand out of her grasp and looked away, feeling the adrenaline seep away, replaced with exhaustion.

"It doesn't matter." I said grimly.

"Yes it does." Lucy tried to sit up straighter, wincing as she did. I protested and tried to push her back but she latched onto my wrist and gave me a hard look. I looked into her fierce chocolate eyes and sighed.

"Zeref stripped me of my inheritance." I said tersely. "He rejected my adoption papers and reduced me to Sanitation Supervisor. I'm still a part of this gang, but I don't have any more power." I didn't want to look at her, but I could almost feel the shock written on her face. I turned to glance at her and saw her lips parted and her eyes wide with shame.

"Oh, Natsu. I-I'm so sorry. I didn't know… if I had k-known…" She trailed off and covered her mouth with her lips. Then her eyes lit up and she became angry. "Why did you do that? I'm not worth losing everything for. You shouldn't have saved me if it was going to cost you your entire life." I shook my head as she glared at me angrily. Leave it to her to make me feel guilty about saving her.

"Lucy, Zeref didn't do this because I protected you. I made the choice. Zeref gave me an ultimatum. And I realized that I didn't want power anymore. I've grown too corrupt, too full of hatred. And I hate feeling that way. I hate being angry all the time always having to look over my shoulder. I'm just tired of it all. In a way, this will be good for me. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be free of this gang and I can live a normal life. But for now, I'll stay where I am." My hand was still on her shoulder and I had barely realized how close we had become. I gulped as the proximity increased.

"It took you so long to come to that realization." Lucy whispered, her face coming closer still. Now I could smell her breath and her fragrance. Granted, she didn't smell that good, but neither did I, and I didn't really care. Lucy's hand suddenly cupped my cheek and I forgot my name for a few seconds. Closer, closer, until there was almost no room between our lips.

For some reason, being this close to her, but not actually touching felt even more heated than it would have been if we were kissing. Our foreheads touched and I closed my eyes, breathing in her scent and her aura. I smiled slightly, loving how even though she didn't smell too hot, I could smell traces of burned wood and pine. My fragrance. My smell was on her, and for some reason, that made me feel incredible. For me, it meant that she was _mine_. I had marked my territory, like an animal, and she was a part of it.

I opened my eyes to see her smiling and I realized that she was fighting a grin.

"You smell like cow manure." She said softly. I jerked my head back as she let out a large laugh, covering her mouth. I cracked a smile and laughed with her, showing off a white grin.

"You know you love it buttercup." I said playfully, leaning close to her, just to let her enjoy my lovely smell. He laughed and grabbed the blankets to cover her nose as I got way up in her face. "Does it make me sexier? Wait, don't answer that, I know I'm already too sexy for improvement." She let out a small snort and shook her head.

"Please. At this point, a _dung beetle_ is sexier than you." She countered. I leaned back and put a hand on my heart, feigning hurt.

"Ouch, buttercup. That one got me real hard." I whispered, pretending to be wounded. She laughed again and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Your ego is too big for any insult to penetrate. Go take a shower, cupcake." She ordered, waving her hand. I laughed and stood up, walking toward the bathroom.

"You bet I need a shower. I really need to _cool off_ , if you get what I'm saying." I sent her a playful wink as her jaw dropped. Before she could say anything back, I was already in the bathroom and had turned the shower on full blast.

 _Lucy_

I couldn't get rid of the grin on my face. I kept trying to fight it off, but as soon as it was gone, it sprung back to life. I had never felt this giddy before in my life. And even though I was aching all over and it hurt to move, I had never felt better than I did at this moment. I had forgotten how it felt to have a normal conversation. And maybe the conversation we'd had was a little less normal, it was still fun and playful and I had missed that.

When Natsu came out of the shower, he was half naked, again. I pretended not to notice as I glued my eyes to my book, but I couldn't help but glance up at the way those shorts hung on his waist and how I could see the V that disappeared below his waistband. He tossed his towel back in the bathroom and opened his closet, looking for a shirt. My eyes drifted to the dimples on his lower back and a hot blush rose to my cheeks. I mentally scolded myself for peeking and looked back down at my book, the words seeming foreign to me.

When Natsu came out of the closet, he was wearing a simple white shirt with his black shorts. I put the book down and looked up to see him watching me while he was adjusting his shirt. I tilted my head at him and he smiled, causing a chill to roll down my spine. I gulped and put the book on the bedside table.

"Come here." I said boldly. I patted the bed beside me and he walked over to the side of the bed, uncovering the sheets and crawling in next to me. He propped the pillows up and leaned against it, scooting up next to me until our bodies were touching. His smirk returned as he leaned close to me, turning my head.

"I think we have some unfinished business to attend to." He said huskily, before lifting my chin with one finger and pressing his lips to mine.

This kiss was soft, very unlike the kiss we had shared before. He was gentle, as if he was afraid that I would break. I felt another chill roll down my spine as his tongue entered my mouth. This kiss was more passionate and intimate than the other had been. We weren't starving for each other now. It was calm and slow, like we had all the time in the world. Even though I knew that this couldn't last, whatever this was, I didn't want to stop. I wanted him like this forever.

Just as we shifted positions to get a better lock on each other's lips, there was a loud bang at the door. Natsu jerked back as I gasped, covering my mouth. The door looked like it was about to be blasted off its hinges.

"Open up! _Now_!" A gruff voice shouted at us from outside. I pushed myself back further against the headboard as Natsu jumped up out of the bed. Before he could grab something to fight with, the door burst open and four men entered, all wearing dark uniforms. They were armed and their guns pointed at both of us.

" _Get down_ on the ground, now. We can do this the easy way or the hard way!" The man in the middle yelled.

As quick as lighting, Natsu sprang into action, bursting forward and grabbing the barrel of the gun of the first man. He knocked the gun aside and punched the man in the face while the other three lowered their weapons to try and get Natsu off their comrade. I gasped as Natsu started fighting all four of them all by himself. He was doing a great job, and if circumstances had been better, I would have believed that he could have beaten them.

I quickly reached for the book on the bedside table and threw it as hard as I could at one of the men. Granted, my arm burst into pain and my throw was really not that hard at all, it still managed to conk one of them on the head. He shook his head and turned to look at me. I gulped as he started marching over to where I was.

" _Lucy_!" Natsu yelled and chucked one of the men's helmets at the one who was advancing on me. The man stumbled just as the others who were still fighting Natsu, snapped the leg off one of Natsu's chairs and swung it like a club on Natsu's head with a hard thud. Natsu gasped and fell over, temporarily dazed. He was down on his forearms, breathing heavily. Before he could recuperate, the men grabbed his shoulders and yanked him to a standing position, latching handcuffs on his wrists.

"Natsu!" I yelled. I couldn't do anything but watch as they dragged him out of the room, still completely dazed. I wanted to help him, but I had other problems on my hands. Two of the men had stayed behind and were advancing on me. "No, no! Stay away!" I cried out desperately.

But I could do nothing as they grabbed my shoulders and hauled me to my feet. I cried out on pain as they forced me to walk. My entire body felt like a million nerves of hurt as they pulled me out the door. I tried to fight, but I was pretty sure I was only giving them a slight annoyance. My vision blurred as they dragged me along, my legs felt like lead.

Finally, we reached the great hall and they pushed the door open, allowing me to stumble inside. I looked up as my vision cleared. I could barely make out what was going on, but I could see that on one side of the room were dozens of people on their knees. Natsu was thrown down on that side and he lowered his head, pressing his forehead against the floor, probably from the pain of being whacked with a club.

On the other side were a few people standing in a line and the slave behind them, clutching one another in both fear and astonishment. Gray was standing there, next to Levy. I stared at them in confusion as my eyes drifted to the young man next to them. It was the man with the red eyes tattoo, Jellal. Next to him, stood a man that I never thought I would see again.

His blond hair was gelled back like it normally was, his mustache was nicely trimmed and his suit was flawless. His dark, warm eyes turned and he found mine. He smiled and spread his arms out in a warm gesture.

My father stood there, back from the dead, holding his arms out in a welcoming embrace.

 _ **Man, I never run out of cliffhangers do I? XD Leave a review!**_


	30. 29: Stay in Control

**_Y'all are seriously the cutest things. Like your reviews with y'all over there like 'I'm literally dying!' I'm just like, bruh you are too cute! I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. But you guys know, I write cliffhangers to keep you guys interested. It'd be too boring without any suspense (nah wut I mean?)_**

 ** _Anyway, that's all I have to say. You guys are adorable. Please enjoy this chapter._**

Chapter 29: Stay in Control

Previously:

Finally, we reached the great hall and they pushed the door open, allowing me to stumble inside. I looked up as my vision cleared. I could barely make out what was going on, but I could see that on one side of the room were dozens of people on their knees. Natsu was thrown down on that side and he lowered his head, pressing his forehead against the floor, probably from the pain of being whacked with a club.

On the other side were a few people standing in a line and the slave behind them, clutching one another in both fear and astonishment. Gray was standing there, next to Levy. I stared at them in confusion as my eyes drifted to the young man next to them. It was the man with the red eyes tattoo, Jellal. Next to him, stood a man that I never thought I would see again.

His blond hair was gelled back like it normally was, his mustache was nicely trimmed and his suit was flawless. His dark, warm eyes turned and he found mine. He smiled and spread his arms out in a warm gesture.

My father stood there, back from the dead, holding his arms out in a welcoming embrace.

 _Lucy_

My legs shook as I stared at the man in front of me. He was stranger to me now, because I could barely comprehend why he was here. I had come to accept his death and I had come to understand that I had avenge him. I had never truly mourned him. I had gotten shaken up a bit, but I had never truly cried over my father's death. Things had been happening too fast. And now, to have him standing in front of me now… it was almost unreal.

"My daughter…" He said quietly. As soon as he spoke, I took in a sharp breath, and I was reduced to a four-year-old in approximately half a second. I burst into immature blubbers and I started to stumble toward him, ignoring the pain everywhere in my body. I could barely form a full sentence as my hands shook. I outstretched my arms and almost fell over myself in my desperation to get to my father.

"F-father… y-you're here… you…" I burst out into incoherent whimpers as I finally reached him, throwing myself in his arms. My father crouched down on his knees so he could hold me better. I cried into his shoulder, ruining his suit, but I don't think he cared. He whispered softly in my ear, soft reassurances and praises. I was his daughter, I was so brave, I was safe now, I didn't need to fear anything anymore.

Finally, I calmed down enough for my father to stand again with me still locked into his embrace. He turned his head to look at all the people who were kneeling in front of him. Now I that I was standing with my father, I could see and understand what was going on. The men in black suits that surrounded the rooms in corners were policemen. They must have thought I was a gang member, which explained why they were so rough with me.

All the people kneeling, I noticed, were a part of the gang. There were dozens of people, men and women, girls and boys, looking up at my father in contempt. I never realized how many people had really been a part of the gang. I realized that I had only been in Natsu's sector of the gang. There were so many more people that I never even knew that made the gang function and I was only blind to see a small fraction of them. Natsu was kneeling next to his six other advisors and the scary torture woman. My knees buckled at the sight of that horrible woman.

In the middle, Zeref was kneeling with a small smile written on his face. I stared wildly at him, realizing that this was what I wanted more than anything. I wanted to see him in chains and yet I still felt like I was being toyed with. He was smiling like he was enjoying the situation, like he had planned this. I noticed that there were shackles on his wrists and ankles and his clothes were ripped. It looked like he had put up one hell of a fight, judging by his bloody lip and bruised eye. But he looked like this was all a game. He was enjoying this.

"Dragon Slayer Gang!" My father's voice boomed out and I flinched. "You have pillaged this world for too long. You have ruptured the peace of our country and you have disgraced the name of our people. For that I arrest you under the law of the country of Fiore. You will all go to trial and you will all pay for the sins you have committed." I was filled with questions and uncertainty as the policemen started to force the kneeling people to stand.

I turned to the side to see the man with blue hair and green eyes with the tattoo walk forward with the policemen to grab Natsu's arm. Was he an undercover cop this whole time? Cana and three other policemen walked over to Zeref and grabbed him to his feet. Cana looked extremely pleased as she hauled Zeref out of the castle, even though he still looked like he was having the best time in the world. My eyes connected with Natsu's and suddenly, I felt the uncertainty rise in my throat.

This was what I wanted wasn't it? I had vowed so many times that I would be the one to watch them burn at the stake, but I couldn't seem to force myself to accept it. I wanted to go to him, to say something to him, but I didn't know what I could have said to make any of this better. His eyes held no emotion as he looked straight through me. Then he cracked a smirk and winked at me. But I wasn't reassured. I didn't think I'd ever be reassured.

As far as I could tell, that boy, who had changed so much since I first met him, was heading to his death.

As the policemen started escorting everyone out of the castle, I turned my head to see that there were nurses and doctors tending to the slaves and servants. Juvia was being examined by a nurse because she'd been hurt. Milliana was being given a blanket and Lisanna and Mira hugged each other. Kinana looked more terrified than I had ever seen her. Her eyes made eye contact with me and tears welled up her eyes. She started coming over to me, even though I was still wrapped up in my arms.

"Mr. Heartfilia, we need to take your daughter to check her vitals. She looks badly injured so I think it would be better to put her on a stretcher." A nurse said, walking up to my father. He nodded and allowed the nurse to put her arm around her. I managed to limp along with the nurse as Kinana walked closer. The nurse led me to a stretcher and laid me down. Kinana stood over me with tears streaming down her cheeks. I took her hand, not sure what else I could do.

"You have to help them." Kinana whispered. I stared at her in confusion. She squeezed my hand. "Please, Lucy, you can't let them imprison him. Or any of them. They don't deserve it and you know it. I know you see good in him. In all of them." I was taken aback. The nurse started to roll my stretcher away, but Kinana kept up with the stretcher.

"Lucy, please! Eric may had made some bad decisions, but he doesn't deserve to be incarcerated. You can't let it happen. It's going to be up to you in the end, please don't let them suffer when they don't deserve to!" She couldn't plead with me anymore because they had rolled my stretcher outside the room and toward an ambulance. The grounds were completely covered in ambulances, fire trucks, and cop cars. There were swat-team vans and army trucks and people were being escorted out of all doors of the castle, their hands on their heads.

Kinana's words stung with me as the nurses lifted me into the ambulance. I was in a daze, thinking about what she had said, as needles were stuck in my arms and an oxygen mask was put over my nose and mouth. I hadn't even noticed that I was wheezing. I wasn't even thinking about myself as the ambulance started moving. I could feel the IV begin its work in my arm. My head started to spin and my eyes rolled to the back of my head with one thought in my mind. _I know you see good in him… In all of them…_

I drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the whole way in the ambulance. I couldn't move, and I could barely comprehend what was going around me, but I could see that there were two doctors over me. And my father sat in the bench next to my stretcher, gripping a hand that I couldn't feel.

"What happened to her?" He was asking. The doctors lifted my eyelid and shined a light in my eye before moving on to feel my pulse.

"She's weak. We think it must have been from some kind of torture. But, it wasn't from any kind of physical torture. She has no bruises on her skin, which tells us that she wasn't beaten." The doctor said. My father squeezed my hand, and I felt a slight tingling on my fingers.

"Then what the hell did they do to her?" He demanded.

"Look, sir, we're doing the best we can. If I were to give you my best guess, I think she was electrocuted repeatedly. There are welts on her body that suggests some kind of tabs. I think she was tortured continuously for a number of days. I don't know how long or how much they did, but I can assure you we will try our best to bring her back."

"Damn it, this wasn't a part of the plan. Fullbuster was supposed to get her out of there before we raided. He was supposed to save her. She wasn't even supposed to be in there in the first place. It was never our intention to involve her like this. But, of course, Zeref was one step ahead of us. Always, he's ahead. It will bring me great pleasure to watch him stand trial." My father released my hand and my eyes fluttered.

"You will be able to make her better, yes?" He demanded.

"As I said before, sir, we don't have much to work with because we have no idea how this happened to her. We will do the best we can to stabilize her and bring her vitals back to normal, but it will be up to her to fight the final battle. We cannot force her to wake up." His words seemed to send me back into unconsciousness because I forgot where I was for a few moments.

When I came to, I realized that I couldn't move anything in my body. I was completely broken and my eyelids would not open. There was a strange atmosphere around me, like I was floating in a cloud of mist. I was enjoying it here, in my own head. Everything was hazy and I couldn't remember why I ever wanted to get away from this. Unconsciousness was blissful and calm. I didn't have to worry about anything and I could just lie here in peace.

My thoughts drifted around for what seemed like an eternity. I thought about nothing and everything. I was comfortable and at peace. There was nothing for me in the real world, so I really didn't need to think about it. I could be alone forever and it wouldn't matter. Hadn't I suffered enough? Didn't I deserve this? Didn't I deserve peace? Why should I care about the real world, when it was clear that the real world did not care for me?

 _But that's not true is it?_ A voice hissed in my ear _. There's so much you haven't done. So many things that you have left. People you're leaving behind_.

They're better off without me. And I don't need to do anything if it never matters in the end. I'll be back in this place at some point, whether it's when I'm a hundred years old, or only fifty. I'll die eventually and everything in my life will not have mattered because I'll be gone. Everything dies. Why not start early? It's not like I had much to live for anyway.

 _Do you really think that?_ The annoying voice asked me again. _Are there not people you would rather spend all your time with, no matter how fleeting it is? What will they do when you're gone?_

They will move on. They will get over me. I'll be a distant memory. They will go on without me and it'll be better that way. I don't deserve to be with them.

 _And him?_

 _What will that do to him?_

Natsu's face flashed in my head and my bliss suddenly started to fade. His strong arms, his sharp, mischievous face, his grin, his eyes… the way he took care of me, the way he called me 'buttercup', the way he struggled and fought with his internal battles, the way he gave up _everything_ for me.

I couldn't let him go to prison. I couldn't let any of them go to prison. If nothing meant anything, I knew he did. I fought so hard, he fought alongside me. We deserved happiness and if he couldn't do it without my help, I had to stay to help him. I couldn't abandon him like that. He did not deserve prison, he deserved peace. I realized then that my work wasn't done. I wasn't going allow myself to fade then.

There was so much to do. It was time to find out the truth. It was time to take control of my life that had been spinning out of my reach for too long.

So, with all the energy I could muster, I pushed against the haze, and allowed consciousness to flood back into my mind, leaving behind the bliss and peace once more to finish what I had started.

 ** _No cliffhanger this time! Not completely anyway. Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks for all your support!_**


	31. 30: Don't Play the Victim

**_Hey guys, so I know last chapter was kind of short, but see, what happened was… I wrote a chapter that was way too long so I had to split it somewhere. And then I kind of forgot to upload the next part. Sorry about that. This chapter is nice and long and please enjoy!_**

Chapter 30: Don't Play the Victim

 _Lucy_

Two days after my father had rescued me from Zeref's castle, I'd finally managed to walk on my own with crutches. I'd been going through physical therapy every day and I really hated how little I could move. My arms moved fine, but my legs were not cooperating. I still couldn't stand on my own. I needed the crutches. I was sleeping in the hospital and my father had come to check up on me every day.

I had asked for the full story of how he was alive and what had really been going on. But he had avoided that subject. He only wanted me to regain my strength. I'd asked with Natsu's trial was, and he only vaguely said it wasn't for a while. I'd asked if I could see him, but he blatantly refused. To him, it was crazy that I'd even want to see one of the people who had tortured me, but I didn't tell my father the real reason I wanted to see him.

My father was keeping secrets from me, but I had a few secrets of my own.

I was getting sick of this hospital. I hated being here. I was sheltered and trapped because I couldn't move without crutches. The doctors had said they wanted to keep me for at least another few days to make sure I'd be okay with doing all my necessities with the crutches. It wasn't like I couldn't figure out how to go the bathroom on my own. They had to sit there and help me, making me feel helpless and awkward.

This morning, I was reading on the bed in my hospital, feeling restless. I couldn't focus on the words because every other sentence seemed to remind me of Natsu, sitting in a cell somewhere. I clenched my fists around the pages of book as one of words was "butter stretched over too much bread" ( ** _A/N: Can anyone figure out which book that's from?)_**. That line reminded me exactly of Natsu when he called me 'buttercup'. God, I missed him.

I turned the page as the door to my hospital room opened and two women walked in. they had beaming grins on their faces with maid outfits and matching pink hair. One of them was wearing a fluffy scarf and the other had a choker collar around her neck. It took me a few terrifying seconds before I recognized him. My face broke out into a grin.

"Virgo! Aries!" I exclaimed, shutting the book and tossing it aside. I spread my arms out and my two former maids rushed over in a stream of laughter and tears, both of them engulfing me into a warm embrace. Their words of relief soother my irritation and I could feel the tears well up in my own eyes. How could I ever forget these two?

"Princess! Oh, my lady!" They exclaimed, laughing against my hair. I patted their backs and they finally released me, looking down on me with sheer happiness. Aries was crying and Virgo's eyes were wider than I'd ever seen them.

"They finally let us in. We've been asking to see you for a few days now. Your father was still afraid that you were too weak. They said that you were on the brink of death. Your muscles had been so badly damaged that it was getting hard for you to breathe. Oh, my lady, I'm so happy you're all right!" Virgo exclaimed. I was surprised at how animated she was. She was usually quite stoic. It was usually Aries who was the emotional one of the two.

"I'm all right. But what about you two? How have you been all this time? No one has told me anything about what really happened during the raid. Did you manage to get out in time?" I asked, gripping both their hands. Aries looked up and gave Virgo a sideways glance, as if they were afraid to tell me anything.

"I don't know if we can tell you, princess. Just know that we've been out of harm's way and worried sick about you ever since you were taken from us." Aries said kindly, squeezing my hand. As happy as I was to see them, my stomach dropped at her words. How many secrets were they keeping from me?

"Oh, I can't wait to see those monsters punished." Virgo said, abruptly jerking my hand. She glared at the wall, her blue eyes full of fire. "I want to see them pay for what they did to my lady. They will deserve every bit of punishment they get." I wanted to protest at her statement, only thinking of Natsu, but then, thinking about all the other people involved in the gang, I couldn't help but agree with her.

"Oh, yes, Virgo and I are going to watch the trial." Aries said. Virgo whipped her head around and gave Aries a wide look. I pulled my hand out of theirs and looked at them both back and forth.

"Trial? When's the trial?" I demanded. They looked at each other again and frowned, once again keeping secrets from me. "Virgo, Aries. Please. I am just as a part of this as anyone. I deserve to know what is going on." The two of them looked at me sadly as though I was some pathetic child that wasn't allowed to know the struggles of the real world.

"If it were up to us, princess, we would tell you everything. But your father swore us to secrecy. He's a very persuasive man when he wants to be. I'm sorry." Virgo said softly, reaching for my hand. I looked away and was about to pull my hand away from her, when my anger subsided and I allowed her to take my hand.

"Virgo? Aries? Can I ask you a question?" I asked timidly, a thought occurring in my head. "Were you happy working for me? Did you ever want to leave? I've been thinking about this nonstop, but I feel like I treated you more like slaves, than like my friends." The two of them stared at me and I gulped, looking away. It was true I'd been thinking about it ever since Natsu accused me of being just like him the very first time we met. What if I'd treated my servants like they treated their slaves and I never knew it? What if I was just as bad as them?

"Miss Lucy, do you really think that?" Aries chuckled slightly and squeezed my other hand. "Your mother is the one who gave us a job in the first place. And we loved working for her. You are just like her in so many ways. Of course we like working for you. And you've never once treated us like we're slaves, Miss Lucy. You have a pure heart. We wouldn't work for you otherwise." She said sincerely. I smiled, feeling relieved.

Suddenly, the door opened and my father stepped inside. Today, he was wearing a blue suit with a checkered tie. It looked like he'd been in a meeting.

"Hello, Lucy. I came to check up on you. How are you doing?" He asked, walking in the room. Virgo and Aries waved at me and dismissed themselves as my father went to sit on the chair next to my bed. I made a decision right then. I swung my legs over the bed, painfully and grabbed my crutches.

"I'm feeling spectacular, father. But I have a request. Can you take me to see the other freed slaves? There are some people I want to check up on." Before my father could protest, I stood up and limped over to the door with my crutches. I opened the door and gestured outside. My father looked like he was about to refuse, but then he looked right into my eyes and he saw something there. He sighed and stood up, nodding. I almost jumped for joy as he opened the door for me and escorted me out.

It didn't take long to reach the wing of the hospital where all the former slaves were being held. They had their own hall and the hospital was housing them to monitor there vital signs because of trauma and shock. Once they could get back on their own feet, then they could leave. It was here that all my friends were being held. I couldn't wait to see them.

My father let me enter the wing and he left me alone, telling me that he would meet me back here once I was finished. I walked in the long hall of beds lined up on either side. There were people sitting on their beds or others' beds and some that I recognized. I recognized the girl who had bumped into me the very first day I arrived in the castle. She was talking to some other girls and she looked glowing. I smiled, knowing that just because she had been mean to me that first day, did not mean that she was a bad person. She deserved to be free like them all.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed a tuft of purple hair and smiled as I turned my head to see Kinana, Yukino, and Milliana all around one bed, talking vivaciously to each other. I started to limp toward them as best I could. As soon as Yukino noticed me, her face broke out into a grin. I approached them and smiled, feeling an overwhelming wave of pride pass over my body. They were all finally free. We had all gotten out alive.

"Lucy!" Milliana exclaimed as I limped over to their bed. She threw her arms around me and hugged me tight as Yukino grasped my hand. Kinana smiled quietly at me as the others started bombarding me with questions. Was I okay? How did I feel? Have I heard anything about the trial? Will I be fit enough to attend?

"Guys!" I said, laughing. "I'm fine. Honestly, I'm okay. I'm just really happy you all got out okay." I said sincerely. The others smiled and laughed before going back to their conversation. Kinana stared at me for a bit and gave me a small smile. She started to talk to me over the loud conversation the others were having.

"Lucy, about what I said. It's not up to you to decide their fate. I'm sorry I told you that. You don't have to save them if you don't want to. I completely understand and you have a right to want to see them punished after everything they put you through." She said shakily, her voice cracking on the word 'punished'. I smiled and leaned against the bed so I could reach my hand out to grasp hers.

"Kinana, you have nothing to apologize for. I don't know if you know this, but I was on the brink of death for a long time after they took me away. I was unconscious and dying and somehow, I still remember what happened. I remember wanting to give up, but it was your words that kept me from giving in. I should be thanking you for saving my life. My job here isn't done and I will do everything in my power to save them." Kinana's eyes lit up and a look of relief passed over her face.

"Lucy?" I heard a voice coming from the bed next t us and the curtain separating the two beds was pushed aside so I could see another girl lying on the bed with her upper body propped up. She had bandages across her cheeks and arms and she still had the remains of a black eye around her left pool of cobalt. Her blue hair was tied back into a low ponytail and she was smiling at me in relief.

"Juvia…" I whispered. I limped over to her bed and clasped her hands in mine. "I had no idea if you were okay. What happened to you? All I remember is when you threw the rope out the window." I asked. Juvia chuckled and I felt a pang of guilt at all her injuries. It was my plan to escape so all of this was my fault. She was hurt because of me.

"Don't worry, Lucy. I'm okay. There were some guards that caught me that night and I tried to give you your best chance. But they brought me to Mard Geer, Zeref's first advisor, and he tortured me for a while. I was expecting it and I don't regret what I did. It was actually Natsu that got me out of Geer's clutches. And it was Natsu who saved you and Gray that night. You are very lucky to have men like that who care for you."

I gulped and thought about what Natsu had said. He had stepped out of line one too many times and Zeref was prepared to replace him. I had never heard of Mard Geer, but just hearing his name sent shivers down my spine. So that was who Zeref replaced Natsu with…

Suddenly, Juvia's eyes looked over my shoulder and they widened. She blushed slightly and gulped as I turned around to see who she was looking at.

"Hey, Lucy. Hey, Juvia." Gray was definitely a sight for sore eyes. He was wearing a plain blue button down shirt and some black jeans. He had a bandage on his left cheek and his hands were wrapped up as well. He spread his arms out for me and I took his hug willingly. I felt extremely guilty, not ever once thinking about how he was doing until his moment. Then I paused and pulled away from him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He eyes darted up over my shoulder and then back down. That was strange.

"I was looking for you. The nurse said you were down here." He said hurriedly. I narrowed my eyes as I looked as his slightly pink ears. They always turned pink when he was lying. It was his tell. I looked down, about to question him further when another thought popped into my head.

"You knew, didn't you?" I asked. Gray blinked and looked at me in confusion. "You knew they were coming. You knew about the raid. You _knew_ and you never told me." I said, feeling anger flare up in me again. Why were people still keeping secrets from me? Why was I always the only one in the dark?

"Lucy, does it even matter who knew?" My eyes widened as Juvia snapped at me from behind. I turned around to look at her and she was giving me an exasperated look. "Who cares about who knew and who didn't? The fact is that we are all out of there, and we are all alive. And those bastards are being sentenced to jail as we speak. Just be thankful for that and stop playing yourself the victim all the time." I gulped and stepped back, my eyes wide. Juvia gulped and looked away. "Sorry." She mumbled.

I took a breath, and then another. Then I turned around, a lump in my throat.

"I have to go." I croaked out. Then I started to limp away as fast as I could, Juvia's words leaving scars in my mind. I heard footsteps catch up to me and fall into step next to me.

"Lucy, wait, please. She didn't mean that." Gray said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I shoved it off and kept walking.

"Yes, she did." I whispered. I could feel the tears threatening to fall. Juvia was right, as usual. I was so pathetic, thinking about being the victim. I needed to pull myself together and be happy that we all got out alive.

"Lucy, stop." Gray grabbed my shoulder and forced me to stop. I gulped and looked at anything but his face. I couldn't trust myself not to start bawling in front of him. "You have every right to want to know what happened, okay? You were the one captured, not her. She doesn't understand the life you came from. Just listen to me for a second."

"The only thing I don't understand is why? Why am I the only one in the dark? How is it that you knew about the raid on my home and you didn't tell me?" I asked, tears no brimming my eyes and threatening to fall.

"I didn't know about the raid until after you were taken. Your father and my parents had been planning this for months, that's all I know. They faked his death so that they could have the upper hand on the gang. He hired a young cop, named Jellal, to go in undercover and get all the information needed to raid the castle without being stopped.

"But I also know that you being captured was never part of the plan. Your father wanted to abandon the mission as soon as he found out you were taken. But my parents urged him to stay on task. I was the one who proposed to get myself captured to make sure you were okay. Once I was inside, I was going to try and get you out before the cops came. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but how do you think you would have reacted? Would you have been ready to escape, or too much in shock?"

I knew Gray had a point and this new information hit my like a ton of bricks. It had all been planned. Jellal was a cop this entire time and all the torturing and pain could have been avoided. I but my lip and straightened my face. I looked up into Gray's eyes and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for telling me all that, but you didn't need to. I don't want to be the victim anymore and I don't want to be weak. Also, next time, please don't lie to me. I know you weren't looking for me. You came down to see _her_." I nodded my head in Juvia's direction as Gray's ears turned beat red. I took a deep breath and took off my ring. "Here." I said, handing it to him. "I don't think marriage is going to be an option for us anymore. I think you should save this for someone you really love." Gray looked down at the ring and then back up at me.

"No, you keep it." He insisted, pushed my hand away. "It looks better on you than it ever could on anyone else. Besides, I'm pretty sure it kept you sane the whole time you were in Zeref's castle. You deserve to keep it." I cast my eyes down and smiled slightly. I wasn't going to lie and say that I wasn't hoping he would let me keep it. He was right, it fit me and it had become a symbol for me. I nodded and slipped it back on.

"Thanks… now go be with the one you really love." I said. He gulped and gave me a sideways look, like he was surprised I was taking the news so well. I shooed him away and he finally agreed and walked back toward Juvia's bed. I sighed and twisted the ring around my finger.

I wasn't going to lie. I was slightly hurt that Gray had found another girl in his life. But I had to remind myself that I didn't truly like him that way. I had to remind myself that Gray never truly liked me. We cared for each other like siblings and I was happy that he had finally found someone honest and who could make him happy. Now, all I needed was to have someone like her, who always made me happy and who I could trust with my entire mind and body one hundred percent.

 _ **Leave a review! And my goal is to finish this sucker before summer starts. Hopefully it won't take that long, but we'll see XD**_


	32. 31: Unwanted Feelings

**_Hello ladies and gents! Welcome to my new chapter! Hopefully, you will like it. I certainly like this chapter *hint hint wink wink* Enjoy!_**

Chapter 31: Unwanted Feelings

 _Lucy_

Another three days later, they had finally let me out of the hospital. I had invited all of my friends to stay in my mansion and I could finally walk without crutches. Gray came over to the mansion often, mostly to see Juvia, but also to keep us updated on the happenings. The Dragon Slayer Gang's trial was to be held in one week. They had asked me to testify.

Before I had even bothered to consider the offer, I forced my father to tell me everything he had been holding back. Finally, I got the whole truth to fit the holes that were in Gray's version.

My father and Gray's parents had arranged the marriage between me and Gray to unite our two Corps, that much I knew. What I didn't know was that the marriage proposal was also a ploy to infiltrate the Dragon Slayer Gang. For at least ten years, my father had been working closely with the Fullbusters to try and infiltrate the gang and destroy it from the inside. About five years ago, they had still gotten nowhere and decided that they needed to place someone they could trust on the inside.

It was then that they met a young boy who held no love for the Dragon Slayer Gang. He was from a small village and had easily manipulated dozens of people to follow him in exchanged for what he called 'perfect freedom'. The Dragon Slayer Gang disrupted his movement and turned his followers against him, and so he fled. He was only fifteen at the time, and he changed his name as not to draw any more attention to himself. I knew him by several names. My father knew him as Mystogan.

Mystogan agreed whole-heartedly to try and take down the gang. He infiltrated it and became the scout to the heir or the gang himself. With steady Intel coming from the new undercover agent, my father and the Fullbusters were finally getting somewhere.

My father then came up with the next portion of the plan; manipulate and control the gang. He got in contact with Charles McGarden, the wealthy businessman who had loaned a lot of money to the gang. They hatched a plan that would shove the gang further into debt and chaos. The Fullbusters would make a deal with the gang and then my father would fake his own death and flee with me so that the Dragon Slayer gang would believe they had control over the Heartfilia Corps. What they wouldn't know, was that Gray and I would have been married and therefore, the corps would belong to him.

Unfortunately, the plan did not go as well as they thought it would. The gang raided too early and my father had to take drastic measures to try and escape unharmed. He thought that the Fullbusters were getting me out, but it turns out that they were too late and I was taken. It was then that my father wanted to stop the whole operation and just raid the gang to get me out. The Fullbusters, however, persuaded him to stay on task and that I would be in eve more danger if Zeref just bribed his way out of jail.

So they bided their time and kept up with the news that Mystogan was giving them. With the more and more charges they could pin against the gang, the more difficult it would be for Zeref to get out of it. Finally, Gray decided that he needed to get me out, so he got in contact with Mystogan, or Jellal at that point, and managed to get himself captured, but alive inside the castle. There, he tried to get me out, but ended up failing. That part was not in the plan.

Finally, my father and the Fullbusters had enough evidence to put Zeref and the entire gang in prison for life, so they came for us. They freed us and chained up all the people involved in the gang, spread out all over the country.

From what I heard, there were going to be hundreds of trials all over the country for the hundreds of people who were arrested that day. I never quite understood how many people were infiltrated in the gang and how many people were under one man's control.

And to think that Natsu was second-in-command for the longest time…

This particular morning, I had gotten a call from Jellal himself, asking me if I wanted to come by the police station. He was going to give me time to see Natsu and speak with him once before the trial. I think it was safe to say, I was a ball of stress nerves.

I shoved through every inch of my closet, looking for something suitable to wear. This would be the first time Natsu had ever seen me in something other than the rags he'd given me and I could finally do my hair the way I wanted and put on makeup to look good. But what would look professional enough that I could have a real conversation with him? I didn't want to come across as childish, but I didn't want to look to stingy. So tights and jeans were out of the question.

Finally, I settles on some black slacks with a red button down blouse. I combed my hair and pinned half of it back with a red jewel so it was half up and half down. As I walked into my bathroom, I breathed in the clean air and smiled to myself. I don't think I was ever going to take a clean bathroom for granted again. I sat down at my vanity and started to apply a little bit of concealer to hide the bags under my eyes and the bruises that were still present from when I had been backhanded a few times. The finishing touches were on my eyes with a bit of eyeliner and light eyeshadow. I looked very professional.

But would he see me that way? Would he look at me like a woman or would he still only see a slave? I shook the thought out of my head and walked out of my room, thanking God for the millionth time that I was back in my own house.

I walked down the stairs as quickly as I could, my heels clicking against the marble steps. It had taken me a little while to get used to heels again and I had forgotten how annoying make-up could be. My hair had been straightened, and it felt strange to be washed and voluminous, bouncing over my shoulders. I knew it had grown a lot, but I didn't know how much I missed having shorter hair.

When I walked into the foyer, there was a car outside waiting for me with a chauffeur, standing out front. For a second, I forgot that the car was for me, and I had to remind myself that my father was rich and I wasn't a slave. I was allowed to have a chauffeur. I grabbed my red shoulder-bag and walked out the door, not fully prepared for what I was about to do.

The way to the police station was short and quiet. The chauffeur said nothing to me and turned up his jazz, elevator music. I shifted uncomfortably several times, trying to itch my face by moving the muscles in my mouth. If I used my hands, I knew I would smear my makeup. I didn't trust myself to be a makeup expert like I had been before all of this. Finally, we reached the station and I got out of the car, thanking the chauffeur before heading inside.

The station was huge. Much bigger than I thought it would be. There were two stories and the floors and walls were made of glass. Well, at least I think they were glass. They could have been bulletproof for all I knew. I walked over to the secretary's desk and peered over the top. And old lady looked up at me from her computer and adjusted the glasses on her nose.

"Can I help you?" She asked politely. I was about to ask for Jellal when I heard someone call my name from behind me. I turned around to see Jellal himself running across the room from the elevator. His blue hair was disheveled and his suit was wrinkled. His red tattoo was ever-prominent.

"Miss Heartfilia. I'm so happy you could make it. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get your father on board and I understand if you feel uncomfortable going against his orders. Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked, walking up to me. I swallowed the bile in my throat and nodded, probably looking more confident than I felt.

"I have to do this. My father won't understand, he can't. This is my decision." I said self-assuredly. Jellal nodded. He beckoned for me to follow him and I stumbled slightly, still getting used to my heels. Jellal led me to the elevator and we stepped inside, the only ones aside from a small woman, even shorter than me. We went below ground as the woman got off at the floor just below ground-level. It was slightly awkward because neither of us had actually spoken to each other except for now. Jellal was staring straight ahead and he barely gave me a second glance.

Finally, the elevator dinged and Jellal led me out. We were in a white hall that reminded me too much of the room I'd been tortured in. I shivered, even though it wasn't cold, and followed Jellal down the hall. He didn't seem fazed as the lights buzzed and flickered out for a split-second. Finally we reached a door and Jellal opened it, stepping to the side to let me in.

I walked in and gasped slightly as I looked through a glass to see Natsu sitting at a table. I thought for a second that I was in the same room and my eyes widened. I was not prepared. But then, I realized that there was a room separating me from Natsu. This room was the interrogation room of police stations like in the movies. There was a room where I was standing that had a table and a glass that looked into another room with a metal table and chairs where the prisoners were held. So that mean that the glass was one way. Natsu couldn't see me.

I let out a breath of relief as Jellal closed the door behind us. He glanced at Natsu, who was drumming his fingers on the desk, and then back at me.

"You're sure you want to do this? You can still back out." He said nervously, noting my shaking hands and my buckling knees. I cleared my throat and straightened my back. I nodded firmly. Jellal sighed and pointed at the connecting door between the two rooms. I took a deep breath and walked over to it.

"Don't forget, I'll be here the whole time. If you need me, just yell. If he tries anything, I have a Taser." Jellal patted his breast pocket. I gulped and my lips twitched as I glanced back at Natsu. He would never try anything on me… right? I shook my head and built up a burst of confidence to open the door and step inside.

Natsu glanced up from the table as I let the door close behind me. His eyes widened and he jerked to his feet, knocking the chair over behind him. I flinched as he jerked his wrists, only to be held down by his left wrists by some hand cuffs attached to the table.

"Lucy…" He whispered. My heartbeat rose in my throat and I understood then why I had been so scared in the first place. His voice was gentle and sweet, and yet I could still hear the roughness around the edges. He was in pain. He was in so much pain and it wasn't because he was stuck in a jail cell. He was hurting because I was hurting. He was hurting for me.

"They told us that you were sent to the hospital. That all of you were in the hospital. I thought… I thought…" He trailed off, his eyes drifting down past my neck and down my legs. He was scanning my body, making sure there were no injuries he could see.

I felt a blush rise to my face, not out of embarrassment or fear. It was out of something else. Some warm feeling in the pit of my stomach that had been present for a long time. It was there when I woke up for the first time after being tortured. And again when Natsu crawled into the bed with me. It wasn't until that moment that I realized what it was. And I couldn't tell how I felt about it.

"I-uh… Well, I'm okay. Everyone's okay." I managed to sputter. "But… but… that's not why I'm here." I took a deep breath as Natsu sighed, dropping his head. He slowly sat down, a knowing look passing over his face.

"Yeah… I know. You're here for the trial." He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "You want to find out all you can about the Big Bad Wolf. You want to see how much you've been put in the dark about me. I'm not stupid. I knew they would ask you to be a witness. You're just not sure what side you should take." This time, my blush was out of embarrassment. I gulped and cast my eyes to the floor, ashamed that he'd been so quick to analyze the situation. I looked back up and took a deep breath.

"Can you blame me? I wanted this to happen for so long. I wanted to see you in chains, burned at the stake. I wanted to watch everything you held dear fall apart in front of you. But now… I don't know how to feel. I want to trust you. I really do, Natsu. But how can I even begin to trust you if I don't know anything about you?" I tried to swallow the lump in my throat and gasped; letting those words out had been like running ten miles. Natsu scoffed like I had just told a stupid joke.

"You don't need to know anything about me, buttercup. All you need to know is that I was a really bad person before you showed up. The trial is soon and I'll be put in prison for the rest of my life. It's what I deserve." He leaned back in his seat and smiled sadly at me. I suddenly realized, that he had already come to term with his fate. He was ready to give up. It was all over for him.

Suddenly, the nervousness that I had felt was gone and new emotion filled my veins. Anger. Pure, white hot anger boiled in my blood and I could feel my hands shake. I stared at Natsu's calm eyes and I couldn't believe he was just giving up. The Natsu I knew was stubborn and defiant and so annoying when he got bossy. He hated giving up. How could he possibly be giving up now?

"What are you talking about?" I growled under my breath. Natsu frowned at my tone as I walked up to the table. "What do you mean it's what you deserve?" Natsu uncrossed his arms and leaned forward.

"I mean exactly what I said, buttercup. I don't think you realize exactly what kind of person I am." I felt a wave of indignation and I curled my lip.

"You don't think I know you, Natsu? I know you. I know that you can be cruel and ruthless. I know that you can hide your emotions under a mask that no one can penetrate. I know that you are charming and charismatic and you can worm your way into anyone's good graces. I know that you wanted to have all the power in the world. I know that you wanted to be like your father for the longest time but you didn't know why. I know that when you figured it out, you realized that you could be so much more." I walked around the table as Natsu stood up, a wary look in his eyes.

"You saved my life. You chose me out of all the slaves because you knew that if I had been with anyone else, they would have killed me. And that's only the times that I know of. You have probably saved me and others so many times. You do not deserve this and you know it." I reached out for him, but Natsu slapped my hand away.

"No, Lucy, stop it. You don't understand. You only knew one side."

"Damnit, Natsu! You can't tell me that you're a horrible person. You can't tell me that you meant to hit me and play with my emotions and lie to me. You can't tell me that your good side wasn't real. Because as much as I wanted to hate you ever day that I was in that hellhole, I…" I trialed off as I realized that I was right up against his chest. I looked at anything but his eyes as I realized just exactly what I was about to say. What I was about to admit. "I couldn't hate you because…" I whispered, staring right at the spot on his neck that dipped into his chest. "Because I was falling in love with you…"

Once the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back. Natsu's brows furrowed and he stepped back like I'd shot him. He turned away, curling his lip like I was something he didn't want to look at anymore.

"No you weren't." he snarled. I frowned and narrowed my eyes. Another wave of anger passed over me and I took a step back.

"What do you mean I wasn't? Are you trying to tell me how I feel now? Like I don't know my own feelings? I love you, Natsu. I _do_. And you can't change that by telling me that I don't!" Natsu squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, covering his ears like he was listening to a nightmare.

"You got to stop, Lucy! You have to stop _saying_ that!"

"Why?" I screamed. "Why can't I say it? Why can't I tell you how I feel, Natsu?"

"Because every time you say those words, I—" He paused and turned slightly to look me in the eyes. "I realize how much I've fallen in love with you too." He finished slowly, turning his head away, like he was embarrassed. I felt my eyes flutter and my heart thump hard in my chest.

"I can't love you, Lucy. I _can't_. I'm about to go to prison and I can't have feelings for you because if I do, then I'll want to get out. I'll want to be with you. And I _can't_ be with you. You and I will never work. We were doomed from the start." He trailed off and turned away, sitting back down. I continued to breathe heavily and felt tears well up. I took a step back and tried to speak through the lump in my throat.

"You've given up." I said quietly, backing up to the door. "You're already done. But I can't be done. I won't give up. Just because you won't fight, doesn't mean I won't either. I won't give up on you. As much as you want me to… I can't."

With that, I turned around and walked out the door, my heart broken and my face tear-stricken.

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	33. 32: Killed in Cold Blood

**_Okay, so some of you guys be askin for liiiike lemon and smut and stuff, and look bro, I get it. I understand that smut can be enjoyable._**

 ** _Buuuuuutt… I just don't write smut or lemon. Yeah I can do the steaminess and foreplay pretty well, but not all the way Besides, this book isn't about the sex, you feel me? So like I said at the beginning of this book, this will not be a sexual story. I'm pretty sure you could find a better smut story somewhere on this site anyway._**

 ** _Sorry guys, I just don't do that. Anyway/who/whoot, let's get back to the good stuff. Enjoy!_**

Chapter 32: Killed in Cold Blood

Natsu

I sat down and gripped my head in my hands as Lucy slammed the door behind her. I was so angry with myself for saying those horrible things to her. I hated the look in her eyes when I told her how I felt. I hated the look of despair and heartbreak when I told her that we could never be together. She was only trying to help and I shut her down. I was cruel, I knew it. But I had to convince myself that it was necessary to keep her out. She needed to move on with her life. I just hoped in another twenty years, all this would just be a bad memory for her.

The door suddenly creaked open and the man I least wanted to see walked in. Siegrain's face was calm, but stern. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips pursed. I knew he'd been watching the whole time Lucy was in here.

"Was that some kind of sick joke? Did you enjoy watching that, you bastard?" I snarled, leaning back to cross my arms. Siegrain sighed and shook his head, approaching the table. I only then noticed he was carrying a large box under his arm. He sat down and placed the box at his feet.

"She wanted to talk to you. And how could I refuse her? It's _you_ who should be ashamed of yourself. All she wanted was closure and you had to turn her away." He said begrudgingly folding his hands on the table across from me. I narrowed my eyes and looked away, a bitter taste in my mouth.

"You have no right to be lecturing me about my actions. You betrayed me, Siegrain. I'll never forgive you for that." I hissed, lacing every word with venom. Siegrain sighed again and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"It's Jellal, actually." He corrected, straightening his back. I raised my eyebrows and turned back to look at him. I used to think his red tattoo was intriguing, but now it was just infuriating.

"Oh, it is, is it? I'm terribly sorry. Let me rephrase." I said sarcastically. Then I leaned forward and steepled my fingers in front of me. "You betrayed me… _Jellal_ … And if I wasn't in handcuffs, I'd strangle you right now. I'd give you marks on your skin that would make your tattoo look like a _papercut_." I finished my threat with such malic that Jellal drew in a sharp breath. He looked away from my burning star and for a brief second, I thought I saw remorse. Then he turned back to meet my gaze with a hard look.

"Can you blame me, Natsu?" He said pointedly. "Your gang ruined me as a child and I had an opportunity to take you down. Would you not have jumped at the chance to take revenge on people who took everything from you?"

"Right now, you're the only one who fits that description, so watch yourself." I snapped, my voice biting in anger. Jellal sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Blank threats won't do you any good. I didn't come here to listen to your struggles. I suggest you hear me out." He said sternly, crossing his arms. I pursed my lips and leaned back in my chair.

"I don't think you deserve anything, especially my attention."

"That's a matter of opinion. I'm on the team of lawyers that want to help your case. You and your advisors are the one of the different cases in this trial, because you don't deserve a lifetime in prison. I'm working with lawyers to help ease your punishment. Even though you don't think I care about any of you, it doesn't change the fact that I was in your employment for three years. I know you, Natsu, and you're not cruel."

"You don't know anything about me. And even if you did, there was no way I'd accept the help of a traitor." Jellal sighed in frustration and leaned forward, intertwining his fingers.

"Let me get one thing clear, Natsu. I betrayed Zeref. I didn't betray you. And right now, I'm proving my loyalty to you by trying to help you. Now you can either accept my help, or you can rot in prison. But today, I want to talk about something different. I want to talk about your mother." My breath caught in my throat as a memory of my mother's bright green eyes flashed in my mind.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded. "What does my mother have anything to do with this?" Jellal leaned back, satisfied that he now had my full attention.

"Do you know who your mother was, Natsu? Do you know anything about your real family?" he asked. I crossed my arms and frowned.

"I know that my mother was murdered in front of me when I was a toddler. And my father abandoned us when I was even younger. What else do I need to know?" Jellal sighed and grabbed the box at his feet.

"That is what Zeref would have you believe." He slammed the box in the table and I flinched. "This box is filled to the brim with information about your family. Including your father." I stared at the box as he lifted the lid, showing me that he was right. It was filled to the brim with files and pictures.

"Where did you get this?" I asked.

"I found it in a drawer in Zeref's office." I lifted my head to look at him. He was being dead serious. Zeref had all this on my family. What could he possibly want with all this information? Jellal reached in the box and pulled out a picture. He placed in it in front of me and I took in a sharp breath.

It was a picture of a woman with long blond hair and a man standing next to her with short, spiky salmon hair like mine. His arm was around the woman and the other was on the face of a baby in the woman's arms. The baby had a head full of salmon hair and eyes as bright green as his mother's. The man had an adoring look on his face and his dark eyes were warm as he stared down at his son. The mother's smile matched the one on the baby's face.

I knew what this was. The baby was me. The two adults were my parents. I reached out and lifted the picture slightly, running my thumb over my father's face. He was so young and full of hope. This wasn't what I pictured my father to look like.

"Does that look like the face of a man who would abandon his wife and his son?" Jellal asked softly. My fingers tightened around frame and I looked up at him through my lashes.

"Why are you showing me this?" I asked, dropping the picture and leaning back. Jellal picked it back up and put it back in the box before pulling out a file.

"Mostly to prove a point. But I also want you to know the truth about your family. Your father wasn't some deadbeat drunk who abandoned you. He was much more than that. Don't you ever wonder who killed your mother? And why they killed her?" my eyes drifted to the file. Jellal opened it slowly and turned it around so I could see it. It was a portfolio on my father. There was a picture of him in the corner. I recognized his hair and eyes from the photo before.

"Igneel." I said, reading the name on the folder. "I never even knew his name."

"Yes. His name was Igneel. Your mother's name was Kasai. She was the daughter of Zeref's mentor and gang lord, Alvarez." I remembered Alvarez, the lord before Zeref. He had been old and weak when I had seen him as a boy. Zeref had always been the gang lord as long as I was with him, but he still cared much for the old man. In fact, the old man may have been the only person he'd ever cared for. After he passed away, Zeref never mentioned his name again.

"Zeref and your mother were betrothed to be married. Back then, gangs were like kingdoms. Securing a marriage to your mother would allow Zeref to become the heir to Alvarez' gang. However, your mother did not like the arrangement. She was in love with another." As he was telling me the story, I flipped through my father's folder. It was list of his possessions, all his information. The places he'd stayed, the people he'd ever affiliated with. Zeref had done a thorough search.

"Your father was not the son of anyone important. In fact, he did not even have a last name. He was a scout to Alvarez. He and your mother had been having a secret relationship for years before the arrangement was made. They had made plans to run away together. But they could not expose their secret, otherwise they would have been killed for certain. So, your mother married Zeref. He adopted her last name after the ceremony, and their secret was kept hidden. But little did she know, there was a life growing inside her. You." I flipped to a page where a letter from my mother to my father was glued. She was expressing her love for him and voicing her concerns for me. My heart clenched at her signature. Even her handwriting had been soft and delicate.

"Of course, when she found out she was pregnant with you, she left Zeref and ran away with your father. By then, it was too late and Zeref had taken the position as heir to the gang. But Zeref had actually loved your mother. He really loved her and he was furious that she'd left him. He pressured Alvarez to leave the gang to him, as the old gang lord was getting much too old to be a lord anymore. Once he became gang lord, Zeref tracked down your parents and killed your father."

I sucked in a breath as I turned a page to Zeref's kill-order. I had seen enough of them to know what they were. It was a letter with code names and phrases, but it was an obvious order to terminate someone. Zeref had killed my father in cold blood just because he was hurt that my mother had loved another.

"He found your mother and tried to persuade her to come back with him, but she refused. She told him she didn't want this life for you. She never wanted you to be entangled in what she had been for most of her life." I looked back up at Jellal, who paused, as if he weren't sure if he should finish.

"And then, he killed her because he knew he couldn't control her." I finished for him. Jellal exhaled and nodded. "So in other words, Zeref killed my parents in cold blood. That also means that I am technically the true heir to the Dragon Slayer gang. In short, this doesn't change anything." Jellal blinked, taken aback.

"What?" He asked. I crossed my arms.

"This doesn't change anything" I repeated. "I'm still going to prison, you still betrayed me. Nothing has changed after this." Jellal stared at me, exasperated.

"For God's sake, Natsu, I'm trying to help you! I showed you this so that you could see that Zeref has been lying to you. I wanted you to see that you don't have to follow him anymore."

"You think I'm still loyal to Zeref?" I questioned, raising one eyebrow. Jellal pursed his lips and remained silent, giving me the okay to keep talking. "I stopped being loyal to him the second I revoked my right to being heir. I've always known Zeref was evil. I just didn't realize that _I_ didn't want to be evil with him. But that doesn't change what I've done. I'm still a murderer. I deserve prison." Jellal threw his hand sin the air in frustration.

"Damnit, Natsu, if anything, you are the person who _least_ deserves it! You were forced into this life, you didn't have choice. You did what you had to survive. Maybe for a time you wanted to be like Zeref. But you were raised in that light, you couldn't have though different even if you wanted to. You need to realize that you still have a chance. If you would just forgive yourself." I looked away, his words stinging deeper than I wanted them to.

"What chance do I have? I couldn't even give them my side of the story, even if I wanted to." I said quietly. Jellal sighed and clasped his hands together.

"Well, if you would allow me to tell you what I've wanted to since I got here, then I would get to that. As I explained earlier, I have a team assembled to fight for your case. We've asked you to testify. Against Zeref." I lifted my head a peered at him. He was giving me a serious look. He meant what he said. I could revoke my loyalty completely here and now. If I agreed to this, then I would be making an enemy out of Zeref. If it worked, he would locked away forever, if it didn't, he would kill me.

"You want me to tell them my side of the story during the trial?" I asked, just to make sure I was understanding this correctly. Jellal sighed and nodded. "You showed me all of this to persuade me to go against Zeref?" He nodded again. I sighed and looked away, thinking about the pros and cons.

"Natsu?" I turned to look at him. His eyes were gentle and sincere. "I meant what I said earlier. You're not a cruel person. Your mother never wanted this for you. You still have your whole life ahead out you. Don't throw it away now. Don't give up on yourself just yet. I think there are still people who need you enough for you not to give up."

I gulped as faces flashed in my mind. All of my advisors, my brothers and sister who'd proven to me that they would give up anything for me, the slaves who helped me, even when I had been horrible to them, the slave girl who helped the Fullbuster boy, the red-headed slave who had stood up to Zeref.

Then my buttercup's face flashed in front of me. Her eyes smiled and her tongue ran over her lips. Her different facial expressions passed through my brain. The way her nose scrunched up when she was angry, the way her eyes misted over when she was sad, the way her lips perked up when she was happy. And her expression after we'd kissed for the first time: plump, swollen lips, pink cheeks and glazed eyes…

"Okay." I said, slightly in defeat. "Okay, I'll do it." Jellal smiled and clapped his hands.

"Excellent. Then, let's get started."

 ** _IMPORTANT: Poll on my profile about what story I should write next! Go vote! Do it! (I mean, if you want you don't have to I'm not forcing you…)_**

 ** _I think there are only going to be like three or four more chappies guys D: We gotta start thinking about the futuuuuuure… Leave a review!_**


	34. 33: The Trial

_**Before any of you say anything, let me just explain myself. So I'm taking an online course on fiction writing, and our first short story was due this weekend. And I don't know if you guys can tell, but i am horrible at short stories because they end up being too long. Just to give you an idea, the story was supposed to be 15 pages. It is 32 pages. I did twice what we were supposed to.**_

 _ **Yeah, so anywho, This story is almost at an end. I'm sad, but at the same time, I'm excited because that means I get to explore more ideas!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Chapter 33: The Trial

Lucy

My hands shook in my lap while my I bounced my legs up and down to keep myself from screaming. I was sitting in the lobby of the trial house. It was the day. The day of the trial. Either today I would be liberated, or chains would be clapped back on. Only this time, they would be emotional chains, not physical ones.

I had been rehearsing my testimony in my head over and over again since the minute I left the police station the day I confronted Natsu. Jellal had not contacted me about anything and I assumed that he had just let Natsu back to his cell. I knew that Natsu was a proud person, and probably seeing Jellal would be enough to set him off. He did not like being betrayed. Not by me, or anyone, and Jellal was the one person he'd trusted who'd stabbed him in the back.

Erza Scarlett sat next to me, her back straight and her face serene. She had been freed from her small cell in the town of Rosemary at about the same time that the police raided the Gang Castle. It turned out that she knew about Jellal being an undercover cop. They had met before either of them had gotten entangled with the gang and they had been intimate ever since they met up again, as scout and slave. Jellal tried to protect her and Erza remained defiant.

She was wearing about what I was wearing. I had on a business suit with a pencil skirt and white blouse, covering with a matching business jacket. She was wearing about the same, except she had pants and not a skirt. I kind of wished I had worn pants as well, my legs were freezing.

Like me, she was going to testify against Zeref. There were three witnesses in favor of the prosecution today. It was me, Erza, and Lady Levy. But Levy had not arrived yet. I was slightly nervous to see the petite girl again. I hadn't seen her since the day we were released. I had no idea what she had been up to, and she never contacted me. I didn't know how to contact her so I couldn't have even if I wanted to. I really wanted to see my friend.

Speaking of the devil, the revolving door began to move and caught my attention. I looked up from the bench and saw Levy walk in, wearing a light blue blouse, tucked into a long pencil skirt that reached her knees. Behind her, a tall older man followed her. He had chocolate hair and matching eyes with the same facial features as Levy. This must have been her father, Charles McGarden, one of the wealthiest men in the world.

"Lucy!" Levy exclaimed, her eyes widening as she saw me. My face broke out into a relieved grin. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her. She grinned and speed-walked over to me, careful not to run because of her delicate stilettos. I stood up and smoothed my skirt as she reached me and threw her arms around my neck. I laughed as the smaller girl pulled me into a bear hug, which was much more painful than it should have been for someone her size.

"Thank goodness you're okay!" She cried. I hugged her back and breathed in her sweet, strawberry-scented perfume. It was such a blessing to see her again. She'd been the only one who had comforted me and made me laugh in a time of despair. And she was just like me in almost every way. We came from the same kind of family and we were raised the same way. Only she could understand what I was going through.

"Yeah I'm fine, but what happened to you? I didn't hear anything from you in so long, I was afraid that you hadn't gotten out or something." I said back, after she'd released me. Levy chuckled and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Yeah I kind of fell off the grid, didn't it? I was working on the trial. I'm supposed to testify, but I'm also a first-year law student so I was helping the case. I guess I just got really busy. I'm sorry I didn't come visit you at the hospital. I know Gray Fullbuster did and he let me know you were okay, so I figured I could wait to see you." I tilted my head in confusion.

"You've been in contact with Gray?" Levy shrugged.

"Yeah, I mean, he is the head of Fullbuster Corps right now. His parents still own the thing, but he's kind of taken over as manager. After he got out and you were put in the hospital, he totally shoved his parents out of the way and took the mantle. I guess, he didn't like the fact that his parents let you stay in that hellhole. He's a pretty admirable person, you know? You're lucky to have a friend like him." She explained, smiling up at me. I glanced away, thinking about Gray's position now. He was two years older than me, so he was definitely old enough to take control, I just never thought he'd want the mantle so quickly.

"But that doesn't really explain why you've been talking to him." I said, sitting back down so Levy could sit with me. She smiled and leaned her head back, like she was trying to get five seconds of rest.

"He's on the same case as me. We've been working together." I frowned and narrowed my eyes.

"What kind of case? To put them all in jail?" Levy opened her eyes and looked at me, smiling sadly.

"I can't disclose any information, Lucy, I'm sorry. But don't worry. I know you want to help. The best thing for you to do to help is to calm down and tell them the truth. All of the truth. Everything you've experienced, the good and the bad. That's all any of us can do now." She smiled at me and I found myself getting agitated again. Why were there even more secrets being kept from me? I looked away, trying to hide my bitterness. Obviously, I wasn't doing a very good job because Levy took my hand in hers.

"Lucy, please understand. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid that you were still too weak. Now, you just have to trust me, alright? We both have people in there who don't deserve prison." I looked into her pretty brown eyes and I noticed something I'd never seen there before. It was the same look that made me think of the warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I realized something then. I wasn't the only one who was going to lose someone if things went south today. Levy was going to lose someone too. Who was it? One of the advisors? Gajeel? Did she fall in love with him as I'd fallen for Natsu?

I was about to say something to her, when a man approached us from the hallway behind us. Immediately, Levy stood in respect for him. Erza stood as well and I followed suit, even though I didn't know who this man was. He was tall and lean, wearing a wrinkled suit. He had a five-o'clock shadow and his rust hair was gelled back. He had kind eyes that reminded me of someone, but I could remember who.

"You are the witnesses for the Dragon Slayer case?" He asked. Levy nodded and held out her hand to greet him.

"Dr. Gildarts, it's a pleasure to finally meet you I person. I am Levy McGarden, we've spoken on the phone." Levy said politely. The man's eyes lit up in realization and he smile broadly.

"Ah, Miss McGarden, of course. Thank you so much for responding so quickly. You must be Miss Lucy Heartfilia? I've heard much about you." The man said, shaking Levy's hand and then moving to me. I gulped and nodded, holding out my hand. The man shook my hand and smiled kindly at me. "My daughter has told me much about your bravery. It is an honor to finally meet you." I tilted my head.

"Your… daughter, sir?" I asked timidly, feeling a little uncomfortable that this total stranger knew me like this.

"Of course, you remember my daughter Cana Alberona? I believe you tried to protect her from a harsh beating, yes? She is very grateful to you, as am I. Without you, she may have died then." I blinked, taken aback. Of course, this was Cana's father. I could now remember where I'd seen his eyes before. The resemblance was striking.

"Dr. Gildarts is the prosecutor for this case, Lucy." Levy explained. I swallowed the bile in my throat and nodded, forcing a smile. "He's also the main lawyer focused on the defense of Natsu Dragneel and his advisors." I raised my eyebrows and Gildarts smiled warmly at me.

"Don't be discouraged, Miss Heartfilia. There is hope for them yet. Come with me, it is time for the trial to begin." I gulped as he turned around, letting his jacket flow behind him. Levy came up next to me and took my hand. I looked over at her to see her smiling reassuringly at me. I guessed my face looked as terrified as I felt. Erza stood up and brushed her legs.

"Let's do this." She said quietly. Even though it was barely audible, I could sense an air of excitement in her voice. She wanted to crush Zeref. I did as well, of course, but Erza had more of a right to want him dead than I ever could. He had tortured her for God knows how long before I showed up. She was ready to throw him under the bus and give him the punishment he deserved. I took a deep breath and followed Erza and Gildarts with Levy by my side.

Gildarts took us to a large court room where people were already filing in to watch. Up in front was the judge's seat and the jury box. We were to sit on the prosecution's side of court. Gildarts led us up to an aisle and we filed inside, taking our places. There was a second story where spectators could watch as well, and the room was becoming packed. I had no idea just how many people would have wanted to watch this.

The doors in the back opened and my breath hitched in my throat. Zeref as his advisors exited the door, their hand cuffed behind their backs, escorted by policemen. Zeref was smiling, while his advisors smirked, like they were on top of the world. Behind him were some people I'd never seen before.

There were at least twenty people out on the floor before Natsu and his advisors walked out. Natsu came first, with a scowl on his face. He jerked his head around, as if he were daring anyone to look at him. He hadn't seen me yet. Behind him, Gajeel had the same expression. Levy shifted next to me and I found myself gripping her hand. The rest of Natsu's advisors walked out, all of them with matching expressions.

They were escorted to the back and I gulped, knowing that Natsu could probably see the back of my head. I felt like I was in a spotlight, even though I had no idea if he'd even noticed me.

The judge followed the parade of prisoners and walked out onto the floor. He was a small man with only tufts of white hair sticking out of the sides of his bald head. He had a white mustache and large nose, and his eyes were a clear, watery blue. He seemed very fair and wise. He walked up to his judge's seat and climbed into it, with some difficulty, since he was so short. Once he was on his seat, he was taller than everyone else. He peered over the judge's table and placed his gavel on the table.

"This is the Magnolia Dragon Slayer Gang case?" He asked, smacking the gavel to silence the hall. Gildarts stood with the defense attorney on the other side. They nodded and introduced themselves and what side they would be arguing for. The judge nodded and opened his briefcase.

"There are many people to go through in this branch, so we are going to be here a while. I am Judge Makarov Dreyar. We'll start with the lower branch."

The judge wasn't kidding. There were so many people to go through in the Magnolia branch of the gang. I always knew that there were a lot of people in the gang, but I didn't understand how long it would take to go through every one of them. My posture slouched further and further with every hour passing. The process was the same. The accused would be called up to the podium, Gildarts would list off the charges and then the defense attorney would plead guilty. The accused would have three minutes to defend their case, and then the jury would discuss. I never knew it could get this boring.

Finally, it was time for a break and the judge stood up, ready to rest in the back room.

"When we come back, we will be evaluating Lord Zeref's inner circle." He said, before marching out the back door. I took in a sharp breath as Levy and Erza stood. I stood along with them and followed them out, trying to look at anything except the aisle where Natsu was sitting. I knew he was looking at me because I could feel a slight tingling in my cheeks that only ever happened when he was watching.

We made it outside and I followed Levy over to bench to sit down. I wrung my hands in my shirt as panic began to rise in my throat. When we went back in, it was all or nothing. I had one chance to try and convince them that Natsu didn't deserve prison. But I also had to make them understand that Zeref did deserve it. I had to tell them everything that happened to me and I had to say it in a way that would make them believe me and not anyone else. I was totally and utterly screwed.

"Lucy." Levy grasped my hand and I turned to look at her. "You look like you're going to throw up. Don't worry, you're going to be great. I know you can do it. You just have to tell them the truth." I gulped as her brown eyes softened in reassurance.

"But I don't even know what the truth is." I whispered. Levy smiled.

"Yes, you do. You just have to believe in yourself. And believe in him, too." Her words rang in my ear and I blinked, trying to wrap my head around the meaning of those words.

"Lucy?" I turned to see my father walking over to us. Charles McGarden was following behind him and he spread his arms out to Levy who stood and went to her father. I gulped and stood, walking over to my own father, hugging him tightly.

"You don't have to do this, Lucy." He said softly. "And if they have at all threatened you, you need to tell me. You need to tell the court." I smiled at my father's nerves.

"They didn't threaten me, father. And even if they did, I'm done taking their orders. You don't need to worry about me." I said, burying my face in his jacket.

"Miss Heartfilia?" I looked up to see Jellal walking over to us. Erza stood up abruptly, her face turning pink. Jellal glanced over at her and gave her a soft smile before turning his attention back at me.

"I've been working on Natsu's case. All you need to do is tell the whole truth to the court and we'll be fine. He will be fine." He assured me. I gulped and nodded. People kept telling me that. _Tell the truth. Tell them the whole truth_. What did they men by _whole truth_?

"Natsu, as in, Natsu Dragneel?" My father asked abruptly. "What are you doing for him?" He demanded, releasing me slightly. I smiled softly and looked down, banishing the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Don't worry, father. Everything is going to work out in the end. Natsu Dragneel was the one person I could trust in that hellhole. Maybe I didn't know it before, but now I do. I trust him with my life and now I'm going to go in there and tell them the truth. I'm going to save his life too."

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	35. 34: His Confession

_**Oh my gosh, I did it again. This chapter was supposed to be half a chaoter and it ended up being way way longer, so it became its own chapter. Also BTW the poll is on my profile at the top of the page (some people have been asking). And I'm pretty sure you have to be logged on to your account. Anyhoot, let's get to the good stuff. Enjoy!**_

Chapter 34: His Confession

 _Lucy_

My hands shook in my lap when we were all back in the court room. My legs were fidgeting and Levy had to grasp my hand to keep me from hyperventilating. I took a breath as the judge walked back in and sat on his pedestal. Gildarts and the defense attorney both stood up to continue the trial.

"Your honor, the prosecution would like to introduce a new plead to the jury. As most of us know, Zeref of the Dragon Slayer Gang is without a doubt, the worst human being in this room. However, the prosecution would like to further this accusation as well as defend some of the people involved in Zeref's inner circle." I took a deep breath. This was it. The judge leaned forward curiously and rubbed his chin.

"Do explain." He said calmly. Gildarts took a breath and straightened his back.

"For both the prosecution of Zeref Dragneel and the defense of his closest accomplice, the prosecution would like to call up to the chair, Natsu Dragneel, son of Zeref and heir to the Dragon Slayer Gang." Gildarts exclaimed, brandishing his arm toward Natsu's row.

My eyes widened as low murmurs rang through the hall. I wasn't the only one who looked surprised. Erza's head whipped around and Levy's hand tightened against mine. I turned my head slightly to see that most of Natsu's advisors were staring at him in shock as he stood up and was escorted to the floor by a police officer. He did not look at all surprised. His eyes were dark and his lips pursed, and he refused to look in my direction. Was this planned? Was this spontaneous? Did he know he was going to do this?

My thoughts drifted back to our conversation. His eyes had been so empty then. He had already accepted his fate then. And even though he had given me his love, he immediately rejected mine. He told me he couldn't, that I couldn't that we couldn't. And maybe at the time, he was right. But maybe, just maybe, what I had said had gotten through to him. Maybe he was finally going to fight for his freedom.

He started to vow with his right hand raised to tell the whole truth, no matter what. He did his vows and sat down on the witness chair. He looked straight ahead, and I tried to catch his eye, to see if he would give me anything to help me figure out how to feel. Should I be worried? Should I be relieved? I wouldn't know, because Natsu never gave me even a fleeting glance. Gildarts stood and paced in front of him as though he were trying to come up with a good question.

"You are Natsu Dragneel? Son and heir to Zeref's Dragon Slayer Gang?" Gildarts asked, rubbing his chin. Natsu lifted his own and looked Gildarts directly in the eye.

"Yes." He said curtly.

"You've been raised in the gang environment?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever have a choice to leave that life?"

"No." I saw Zeref shift. My eyes focused on him and I realized that he was no longer smiling. His eyes were calm, but there was a tightness in his jaw that told me he did not know Natsu was going to be called to the floor. I realized then that Zeref was getting apprehensive because Natsu was no longer loyal to him. Not after he relinquished his power to Mard Geer.

"How old are you?" Gildarts continued, turning y head back to the scene. Realized that I didn't actually know Natsu's age, I assumed he was two or three years older than me.

"I'm eighteen." I raised my eyebrows. He was barely a year older than me. I had assumed he was at least twenty.

"Barely an adult." This is was not a question. It was a point. Gildarts faced the jury and raised his arms. "From what I have gathered, this boy had no choice to be in a gang and is barely old enough to make decisions for himself." He was trying to sway the jury. This wasn't supposed to be allowed.

"Objection!" I anticipated the defense attorney raising his hand. The judge glared at Gildarts and nodded.

"Sustained." He said, giving the attorney a pointed look. Gildarts shrugged and turned back to Natsu.

"So is Zeref your biological father?"

"No." Natsu replied almost instantly. It was like he was waiting for that question. Zeref straightened and I looked over to see his eyes had darkened lightly. He didn't like where this was going.

"Then do you know who your real parents are?" Natsu closed his eyes for a second before lifting his chin and giving one slow nod. I shifted in my seat, tilting my head. This was the first I heard about this. He had never talked about his parents because I assumed he didn't even know who they were. "What are their names?" I looked over at Zeref whose eyes were narrowed to slits.

"Igneel and Kasai Dragneel." Zeref's eyes flashed and I snapped my head back to Natsu who was looked directly at his adoptive father. "Kasai, my mother, was the daughter of Alvarez Dragneel, founder of the Dragon Slayer Gang. They were murdered when I was a child because they loved each other." Natsu's eyes burned as he stared at Zeref hard. I felt my heart clench. Why had he never told me?

"Who killed them?" Gildarts asked.

"Objection!" This from the defense attorney. Before the judge could sustain or overrule it, Natsu stood up and pointed directly at Zeref.

"Zeref killed them!" He yelled. "He murdered them because he was jealous and hurt that he was unworthy of my mother's love. He manipulated his way into the gang, and he manipulated _me_!" Natsu then realized what he was doing and sat down, still fuming. Murmurs erupted through the entire hall and the judge had to bang his gavel. I glanced toward Zeref's row as Levi gripped my hand in fear. Zeref's head dropped, so I couldn't see his eyes, and I realized he was probably doing that on purpose. If he had to hide his face, I knew he was either showing too much emotion, or showing too little. Either way, it would hurt him in the court.

"I see you're distressed by this. If you are able, can you explain your experience with Zeref as you know him?" Gildarts asked, as soon as the intense murmuring in the courtroom had finally died down.

"Objection!"

"Overruled." The judge's dismissal was almost instant. The defense attorney let out a frustrated sigh and sat down. The judge was looking at Natsu curiously, like he was trying to decide if Natsu was telling the truth. I glanced at the jury. Everyone had varying levels of interest and excitement.

Me? I was terrified. This was when I found out the truth about Natsu, whether I wanted to or not. This was when I discovered who he was, truly and whether it was right for me to trust him. This was when I found out if Natsu deserved my love, or if I had just given it to him blindly. It would be now when I found out if Natsu was being honest when he told me that he'd done things even I didn't know about. That he was a bad person and he deserved prison. I couldn't bring myself to accept it then, but now I may be forced to.

"I didn't know my parents." Natsu began, clenching his hands to fists. "My father was murdered before I was born and my mother died in front of me. I was too young when she died to remember who it was. Then Zeref took me in. He raised me to be his son and the heir to the Dragon Slayer Gang. At the tender age of eight, I was learning to fight and to kill. At the age of twelve I'd been sent on my first missions. And at the age of fourteen, I began to assemble my own team of advisors to help me once it was my turn to become gang lord." Natsu paused, looking down at his hands.

"Can you describe your missions?" Gldarts asked. Natsu's head jerked up as he stared at him in surprise. Then suddenly, his gaze connected with mine. I felt a jolt of electricity and had to force myself not to flinch. I understood when he looked back at Gildarts. Natsu had never told me about this part of his life. He'd never told anyone. Now, he'd be forced to tell the entire court.

"They varied. Sometimes it was just an intelligence mission where I needed to hide and listen, or a retrieval when I just had to fetch something, like an errand." Natsu's eyes darkened as he lowered his head. "And sometimes, they were kill orders." Murmurs rang through the court room as the judge stared at Natsu in shock. I wrung my hands in my shirt. I'd been expecting him to say that. I knew that he had killed before, I just had not idea he'd been so young.

"What you're saying is that Zeref sent a twelve year old boy to kill people he didn't like?" Gildarts asked. I took a breath and marveled at how Gildarts was able to spin it. even though Natsu was the one who performed the deeds, it was Zeref who called the order and therefore, it was not Natsu's fault. Not entirely anyway.

"Marian Lawson, George Johnson, Dylan Muse, Petra Kahn." Natsu said suddenly. The court room was silent as they stared at Natsu to continue his explanation. Who were the names he'd just listed?

"The people I killed." Natsu explained. Almost instantly, phones were pulled out, computers, tablets, everything was yanked out. People were looking up the names. They were looking to see if Natsu was telling the truth.

"You never forgot them." Gildarts said. It wasn't a question, but Natsu nodded anyway. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I was angry and get so sad. I was angry at Natsu for never telling me about his life. I was angry at the court for forcing it out of him. I was angry at the jury for judging him when they had no idea. But I was most angry at the man sitting on the other side of the court room, his dark eyes shining red and his usually calm, amused face, white yet emotionless.

When the murmuring finally died down, Gildarts took a breath and began asking Natsu questions again.

"Who are your advisors and why did you choose them?" Natsu listed off their names and all of their skills. He added how loyal they were to him and that he did not choose them as much as they chose him. They were more than just advisors, they were his siblings and he knew they would follow him anywhere, even against his gang lord if they had to.

"You said that your advisors are loyal to you and only you. Can you explain why they are not loyal to Zeref, their gang lord?" Natsu sighed and turned his attention to his row of advisors. I turned my head in their direction and saw that most of them were smiling. They knew that this was it for them and they knew that Natsu was giving it his all to get them out. And they loved him for that.

"They are my friends. I've known them for four years, some for even longer. They know me and everything that I am capable of. They didn't join my legion because I was Zeref's heir. They joined me because _I_ was Zeref's heir. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn't have joined. They believe in what I can do. For a long time, I didn't believe, and sometimes I still don't. But over the past few months, I've learned what I am truly capable of, and what I want from life thanks to them." I looked over at them and saw that Wendy was crying slightly. Levy's hand squeezed mine tighter and I realized that Gajeel had glanced over to us, his eyes shifting from mine to hers.

"You keep saying that you were Zeref's heir and that is confusing me. Aren't you still?" Natsu's eyes narrowed and he looked straight at Zeref who was now looking back at him. The electric tension between the two men was almost visual as I could almost see sparks flying between their gazes.

"No. not anymore. But, because of my heritage, I suppose I am still blood heir. No, Zeref rejected my adoption papers quite recently, actually. I am no longer heir to the Dragon Slayer Gang. No, that position now falls to the First Advisor, Mard Geer." Natsu raised his hand and pointed at a man sitting right next to Zeref. I'd seen him before, but I couldn't remember where. He had long, thick black hair that was pulled into a half ponytail behind him. He looked almost even more terrifying than Zeref. Almost.

"How did that occur?"

Natsu's eyes narrowed and he looked away, before looking back up and taking a deep breath. I felt my cheeks turning crimson as Natsu's yellow eyes flickered to mine for a split-second.

"I started acting out. I was messing up my missions and screwing up deals. Most of them were on accident, but later they stopped being mistakes. I started going bluntly against his orders and defying his authority. Finally, he told me I needed to choose. I needed to decide if I really wanted to become gang lord. And I decided that I didn't. I rejected the title and in turn, he rejected me as his son."

"Why did you turn on him?"

Natsu took a breath and glanced up at me. His cheeks tinged pink and I could feel my heart pound. This was it, this was when he revealed it to the world.

"I met a girl." He said simply, ducking his head in shame. I heard a chuckle, coming from the man known as Mard Geer. The room was dead silent except for his chuckle and Gildarts placed his hands behind his back, waiting for Natsu to explain.

"About two months ago, I went to a slave auction with my father. I normally never takes slaves, but this time I was intrigued. I picked a slave. She was stubborn and defiant and everything unwanted in a slave and yet I kept her. She fought me and argued with me and never made it easy for me to keep her out of harm. At first, I didn't care. I wanted to leave her to the dogs, but something stopped me. She was strong willed and free. She didn't belong in chains and yet that's exactly where I put her. I hurt her again and again and then sometime, I'd save her.

"But in turn, she saved me. She showed me what it could be like to care for others and to fight for yourself. For so long, I'd tried to win my battles through offense. She taught me to step back and play defense. She taught me how to care again, how to show compassion… how to love…" He trailed off, looking away. His eyes were moist and I felt my own eyes watering. Hearing him talk about me like that was something I never thought I'd see. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to throw my arms around him and kiss him like he deserved.

"Who was this girl?"

Natsu looked up and his gaze connected with mine, sending a smooth jolt down my spine. "Lucy Heartfilia." All eyes turned to me and I felt my cheeks turn crimson.

"You love this girl?" Gildarts asked. That wasn't an objective question, and I was expecting the defense attorney to object, but he didn't. Everyone was staring at the two of us, even though we were in our own world. It was almost like we were back in Natsu's room and he was holding my hand, smirking at me, the way he had when he'd kissed me for the first time.

"Yes." He said briefly, causing my whole body to shudder. The one word send my body into a frenzy and suddenly felt restless. I needed to get out of there. I needed to run away. This was a private moment that everyone was sharing and I didn't like it.

"No more questions." Natsu looked away as he was escorted back to his seat.

My hand was numb from squeezing so hard and my chest ached. Levy tried to whisper soothing words, but I couldn't hear her. All I could see was red.

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	36. 35: The Verdict

_**Bum Bum BUMM! Last chapter and longest chapter is a go, people! I repeat, a GO! Enjoy!**_

Chapter 35: The Verdict

Lucy

When Natsu was led back to his seat, murmurs and whispers erupted in the hall, causing the once quiet room to become a frenzy of talking. I stared at my legs and my shaking hands. I knew that I would need to calm down and stop getting so frantic because it would be my turn next. The whole room would want to know if I returned his love and how a girl like me could change someone so drastically.

"Next, I would like to call on a witness who was held as a slave for several months while her village was purged and destroyed. Erza Scarlet." I turned my head as Erza stood and was escorted to the front. She vowed her honesty and Gildarts began to ask her questions. About her village, about her relationship with Jellal Fernandez.

"So you were Zeref's personal slave?" Gildarts asked. Erza nodded tersely. "Were you aver abused by any of the other masters?" I knew Gildarts was trying to push Erza to defend Natsu. But I wasn't sure if she would. Erza had been tortured more than any of the other slaves. I wouldn't have been surprised if she wanted all of them in chains. I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted them all to be executed.

"I was tortured and abused both physically and emotionally by Zeref." Erza said firmly. "But he and his advisors were the only ones who hurt me. The only person who tried to care for me in that hellhole besides Officer Fernandez was Natsu Dragneel. He made sure I made it to Officer Fernandez' quarters and he always made sure I was taken care of. Zeref is pure evil, but he did not create Natsu. No matter what that boy did in his life, he turned out to be a good person, despite Zeref's influence. Thank you, Natsu." Erza bowed her head in Natsu's direction and I felt my heart swell in pride.

I looked over at Natsu to see him ducking his head at Erza in response. Gildarts smiled, satisfied with that answer and dismissed Erza. She walked back to our row and sat down, giving me a slight look of pity. I gulped at the look she was giving me, and tried not to think about what it meant.

"Now I would like to call on the Lady Levy who spent a good amount of time in Zeref's castle. She was a guest, but she was not treated like one." Gildarts said, gesturing behind him. Levy squeezed my hand one last time before standing up and walking to the front. She made her vows and sat in the witness chair. I wrung my hands in my lap as Gildarts asked his first question.

"Can you describe your experience in Zeref's castle?" Gildarts asked, stepping back slightly. He knew he didn't need to prompt her. She was ready for the questions. Unlike me, she'd probably rehearsed her answers in her head.

"I was brought to the castle to begin negotiations for my father. However, I was also there as an undercover to try and pull out more evidence to put against Zeref. I spent a week there with no negotiations held. I was not abused or beaten. But I witnessed abuse and horrible repercussions for those who stepped out of line. I may have been treated as a guest, but I was much more their prisoner. Zeref and his advisors did everything in their power to keep me from operating freely. I was even assigned a personal body guard." Her eyes flashed to Gajeel and even I could feel the tension and charged electricity between their two stares.

"At first I thought he was like the rest. Blind, ignorant pawns of Zeref. But then I realized that they were not as such. Gajeel Redfox was assigned to be my bodyguard and he was one of Natsu Dragneel's personal advisors. Natsu and his advisors were the only people in the entire castle who cared even a little bit for human life. They made sure I was not abused like the others. They made sure I was cared for and tried everything in their power to make sure I stayed out of Zeref's bad side. Several times, Gajeel discovered me doing something I knew I shouldn't have, such as breaking into Zeref's pffice or conspiring with a slave." Levy's eyes flickered to me. "But he never told anyone because he knew I would be punished for it."

"I implore you." Levy's attention turned to the jury. "I was never hurt or abused. But that was only because I was protected. Others were not so lucky. I was protected by the very people we all believe to be murderers. Look inside your hearts. See who the real enemy is." The room was dead silent and I knew that Levy had captured the hearts of everyone in the jury. I glanced over at Zeref's seat. He was looking down and I knew that Levy's testimony had gotten to him. He wasn't smiling anymore. He'd stopped smiling as soon as Natsu's name had been called.

"For our final witness, I would like to call Miss Lucy Heartfilia, heiress to the Heartfilia Corporation, who spent almost two months in their captivity as a slave."

My eyes widened and I snapped my head to the front, not expecting this to happen so fast. The room had immediately erupted into murmurs and whispers. I realized that this was what everyone was waiting for. The girl who had broken Natsu Dragneel. The girl who had been stripped of everything and still survived. I gulped as Levy sat back down next to me and Gildarts stood by my row to escort me. I stood up, my legs shaking and my breathing picking up. I almost stumbled over, but Gildarts put his hand on my shoulder, keeping me upright.

Finally, I made it to the witness chair. The judge looked down at me and I immediately felt self-conscious. I knew I should have checked my makeup before entering. My lipstick was probably all smudged. He recited the vows to me and I raised my hand to swear on honesty.

Once I had, I sat down in the chair and clasped my hands in my lap. I knew every eye in the room was on me and my every word would be analyzed. I risked a glance up and saw my father sitting next to Charles McGarden in the back. In the row in front of them, my breath caught as I saw Gray with his arms crossed, giving me a strange look. I realized that he didn't know about me and Natsu. This was probably his first time finding out about it and I knew he wouldn't be happy about it.

"Lucy, I know this is hard for you. I don't want you to relive any bad memories, so if you feel sick or uncomfortable at any point, we can stop." Gildarts said softly. I looked up into his eyes and nodded quietly. I wouldn't need to stop. I was going to get through this.

"Can you tell me what happened to you when you were first taken?" Gildarts asked cautiously. He was wording his questions well. He was leaving it up to me to interpret my answers instead of just answering a direct question.

"The night of the gala, the mansion was attacked. I was knocked out and taken after being told that my father was dead. I was put up for auction as a slave and was chosen by the Dragon Slayer Gang." I began my story. I told the court about my first day and I felt alone and scared. I told them about Natsu and the things he had me do around his house. I told them about the slave quarters and the number of scars I had seen on Milliana's back. I told them about Erza and how she was whipped in front of everyone. I recounted how I felt when I found out that Natsu made sure she saw medical help. I told them about my discovery and the panic attack I had.

Then I told them about how I met Lady Levy. I told them how scared I was that she would face the same fate as me, but somehow, she managed to stay out of trouble even with Gajeels looking over her. I talked about Cana and how she was being beaten in front of me. I told them how scared I was and how I stepped into save her because I was stupid and yet I couldn't bare the sight of her without doing something to help. I told them about how Natsu nursed me back to health and how Zeref tried to intimidate me at the dinner.

Then I paused, getting to the touchy part of my story. I glanced up at Natsu, whose jaw was tight as if he was wondering how I would proceed. My father was giving me a questioning look and Gray was scowling. None of these reactions were helping.

"Miss Heartfilia?" The judge asked politely. I blinked and clared my throat.

"Yes, I'm sorry… it's just… hard. I-we… well…" I trailed off and blushed, looking away. "Natsu and I… we shared a moment." I took a breath and added, "an intimate moment."

"You slept with him?" Gildarts asked abruptly. I snapped my head up and gave him a strange look.

"No." I said firmly. "We never had sex." _But we were about to_. The words were hanging in the air as I glanced at Natsu whose eyes were a shade darker than usual. "I-he… it was consensual. I… I was falling in love with him" I managed to let out. The room fell silent again and I felt the weight of my words on my shoulders. I resumed my story, telling them about Gray and our plan of escape.

"But they caught us." I explained quietly, looking up to Zeref's row. My eyes found the demonic eyes of the woman who tortured me. She was grinning at me. She gave me a small finger wave and I almost threw up. I turned away, remembering the pain I went through and the despair I suffered through for three days.

"They caught us…. And… I was tortured." I raised a shaky finger to the woman whose eyes were wider than I'd ever seen them as she smiled broadly for all to see. "She tortured me. For three days. I was dying on her watch. And then… and then…" I almost couldn't continue as I tried to pull myself out of the hole of repressed memories.

"And then the police came." Gildarts finished for me. I looked up again and shook my head.

"The police never came. They were too late. If I waited for them, I would be dead now. No, it wasn't them who saved me. It was Natsu Dragneel. He saved me and nursed me back to health before the police came. Without him, I would be dead. Without him, it would be me on the list of the murdered. I owe him my life." I finished as my voice cracked and tears started spilling out of my eyes. I glanced at Natsu who was giving me an undecipherable look.

"No more questions. Thank you Miss Heartfilia." Gildarts walked over to me and helped me out of the chair, escorting me back to my bench. I was still crying and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the tears the stop streaming down my cheeks. I sat down as Levy handed me her handkerchief, whispering soothingly in my ear. I could barely hear her as the judge slapped his gavel on the table.

"Now the jury will discuss. We reconvene once the decision has been made. Dismissed." I let out a breath as the jury rose and went out the back door. I didn't want to move as Natsu and his advisors were escorted out, followed by Zeref and his own line of advisors. The woman, Kyoka, looked over at me and blew me a kiss before leaving. I shivered, trying to dispel the sound of her laughter over the sounds of my screams.

Slowly but surely, the courtroom emptied until it was just me, Levy, Erza and some rows behind us. My father walked over to my row and sat down in the row in front of me as Gray came to sit next to him. We sat in silence for a while until Gray turned around to look me in the eye.

"An intimate moment?" He asked. I blushed hard as my father whirled around to look at me.

"What the hell are you thinking? He is a murderer. He said so himself. You can't love him. You are Lucy Heartfilia. You can't do this." He ordered. I was about to retort when levy stepped in.

"All due respect, Mr. Heartfilia, I think Lucy has a right to think for herself. She's been under slave labor for two months. I think she deserves some freedom with something as trivial as her own feelings. I'm just worried about the verdict. At no point did Zeref look scared until Natsu came up. I don't know what happened, but I don't like it." Gray stared at Levy and then something in his brain shifted, because his eyes went wide and he jerked up.

"Levy, Erza, come on. We need to check something." He said abruptly. It was almost instant when Levy and Erza stood. It was as if they understood exactly what he was talking about. I was lost as the three of them all but sprinted out of the courtroom. I stared after them with my mouth hanging open.

"Lucy, I love you. I only want what's best for you. You need to get rid of this infatuation." I turned back to my father who was still staring at me like nothing had happened just a second ago. "Natsu is a gang member. He had been raised to kill people. And he admitted to killing in the courtroom. The most lenient he could get is ten years. You have a whole future ahead of you. You have to forget about him."

"I love him, dad!" I said suddenly, causing my father to pause. "He may have flaws, he may have killed, but he a good man. He is inherently good and he stayed good through everything he was put through. All things considering, he could have turned out a lot worse from the way he was brought up. I love him because he was always good even when he was at his worst. He is not evil. He is not Zeref."

"Maybe not. But that doesn't change the fact that he abused you. He took advantage of you and I don't care what you say, I know it wasn't consensual, at least a first. He seduced you and I won't have him worm his way into your heart."

"He's already in my heart dad. You're too late. And you know what I think? I think you don't hate him because he's killed. I think you hate him because he was there when you weren't. He protected me and kept me alive when you couldn't. You feel guilty because you could have called off the operation and you didn't. You feel upset because instead of a father protecting his daughter, it was a master protecting his slave. He save me and you can't bear the thought of anyone else in your position. I don't think it's him you hate, father, I think it's yourself."

My father sighed and looked down for a few seconds before looking back up at me. I was surprised to see his face had changed slightly. He wasn't angry anymore. His face had softened and he was looking at me with nostalgic eyes.

"You remind me so much of your mother. Her father didn't approve of me either. But she fought for us. Now that I see you fighting for him, I see her. It is true, I feel bad that I wasn't there to protect you. But you are right. He was there and I wasn't. So I'll give him a chance. But don't get your hopes up. He's still in deep trouble. It will be a miracle if he can get out of this with less than five years in prison."

I wanted to protest, but I realized that he was right. No matter how I looked at it, Natsu would be tried as an adult and he'd go to prison for a long time. I didn't want to think about it, but I knew that I would have to face it. The verdict was coming whether I wanted it to or not.

It felt like days before people finally started filing back in the courtroom. Gray and Levy still hadn't returned and I was getting worried as Natsu and Zeref were escorted back to their aisles. As people started to settle in, I noticed that the jury still hadn't been seated. I glanced in the back and scanned the room, but Gray was still nowhere to be seen. What was going on?

Suddenly, the door in the back burst open and a police officer ran to the front of the courtroom, leaning up to the judge and whispering harshly in his ear. The judges eyebrows raised and he looked shocked, and a little scared. His eyes flickered to Zeref and I forced myself to look over to that group of people. Zeref's face was grim and brooding. He was looking around him cautiously, like he was expecting something that wasn't happening. His advisors didn't look so smug anymore. They were staring at their hands or at the ground. Something was not going according to their plans.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a technical difficulty, please wait a moment." The judge said. He hopped off his seat and walked down the aisle of the courtroom, not looking at anyone.

We waited for another half an hour, but I could barely register the time passing. I was looking over at Natsu's aisle. He hadn't looked at me yet but I wanted him to look at me just once to show me he was okay. That we were okay. That's we'd be okay no matter what happened.

His eyes flickered to me and left before turning back when he realized I was looking at him. We stared at each other, locked in a intense conversation. There were no words exchanged, but it didn't matter. We didn't need words. He was saying goodbye. He was apologizing. I was apologizing. I was trying to convey as much love as I could in my stare. I was trying to tell him that I wasn't going to give up. It wasn't over yet.

The door slammed open, pulling us out of our stare. The judge stormed back inside, a vein popping on his forehead and tufts of his mustache sticking out. I stared wide-eyed as he passed and turned my attention to the door again as Gray, Levy, and Erza took seats in the back. I stared at them, but they avoided eye contact with me. Something was very wrong.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, once again I apologize." The judge found his way back up to his seat and whacked his gavel, causing everyone's attention to turn back to him. "I was informed of some foul play with the jury members and after an investigation, we determined that the jury's verdict would not be fair due to foul pay and fraud." His eyes flickered to Zeref and I understood. "So instead, I will be making the final verdict."

Now I understood what all the hustle was about. I understood why Gray and Levy had to leave. And now I understood why Zeref had been acting so smug throughout the entire procession. He had paid off the jury, and luckily, Gray had managed to figure it out and stop it. and I wasn't too sure if it was good thing or not. If Zeref had paid them off, Natsu would be free. But at the same time, Zeref would be freee as well.

"In the case of Zeref Dragneel and his nine advisors: Mard Geer, Kyoka, Tempest, Jackal, Franmalth, Torafuzar, Ezel, Seilah, and Keyes. Each advisor with receive three lifetime sentences of incarceration. They will be sent to a high security prison and serve out their time with no chance of release, no matter of good behavior or paying a fine. Zeref Dragneel will receive five lifetime sentences with three of them served in solitary confinement. He will be held at the highest security prison, far from the reaches of his advisors."

Claps and cheers were heard throughout the hall as Zeref and his advisors were escorted out. I watched as Zeref turned his head to lock eyes with Natsu one last time. I couldn't see the exchange but I understood that this was probably the last time they'd ever see each other. No matter what kind of bad blood they had, Zeref had been Natsu's only parent. Even though Zeref was probably the worst father in the world, he was always there for Natsu and that was going to leave a mark on both of them.

"In the case of Natsu Dragneel and his six advisors: Gajeel, Wendy, Sting, Rogue, Cobra, and Laxus. The advisors will be sent to a detention facility for six months for good behavior along with two years of probation once released. Wendy, as she is under 18, will be sent to a juvenile detention camp while the others will be sent to a much larger facility. Natsu Dragneel will face five years of incarceration that can be reduced due to good behavior and paying a fine, with another five years of parole once released. Case closed." The judge whacked the gavel, making me jump slightly.

I swallowed the bile in my throat as Natsu and his advisors we escorted to the back. Natsu turned around as he was leaving and found me. I felt tears well up in my eyes as his irises clouded with an emotion I could decipher. It felt like a million years that we stared at each other.

Then he smiled and his teeth shown wide. A breath hitched in my throat and I felt the first tears slip out of my eyes. His grinned widened and he winked.

"See you in a bit, buttercup. Don't miss me too much."

Then I burst into tears.

 ** _End_**.

 ** _Hold you're horses! Before you all start, hold up hold up! There will be one more chapter after this, an epilogue. Don't think I'm going to leave you all hanging._**

 ** _K thanks bye! Leave a review! How do you think this story should end?_**


	37. Epilogue: Six Months Later

_**LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IT'S HERE. FINALLY IT'S HERE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN TOO LONG, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THIS AS SPECIAL AS IT COULD BE. Make way for the longest part I've ever posted. Hopefully, this lives up to your expectations. Enjoy my lovelies!**_

Epilogue: 6 months later

I stared at myself in the mirror as Aries' smooth fingers pulled at parts of my hair. She pleated and folded at my hair, pinning it up and leaving some parts down. Her fingers worked meticulously as I stared at my reflection with melancholy. The weight I had lost was back and my cheeks looked much fuller and more colored than they had six months ago. My eyes, however, continued to have dark bags under them that drew the attention away from the blue.

Even though it had been about six months since I was trapped in Zeref's hellhole, I still had nightmares. The sleeping pills I had started taking a month after returning home only allowed me to sleep peacefully for a few hours before they returned. And even then, I'd been taking the pills so much that I had to take at least four a night for them to have any effect at all.

I wasn't miserable like my eyes suggested. Over the last six months, I'd been quite productive. I completed the necessary requirements for high school and received my diploma only a month ago. I'd been working with my father and Gray with the new negotiations between the two companies, since Gray had formally taken over the Fullbuster Cops from his parents. Silver and Mika had taken to retirement very early, probably to their son's angry persuasion, and had moved to their house in the snowy mountains to let their son work in peace.

Gray was turning twenty today, so there was going to be a big party held at my mansion. My father had decided to host it because it had been my birthday about four months ago and we never celebrated it. I insisted on working on my studies and refused to let anyone give me anything. I had even rejected a beautiful collar that Levy had bought for me and insisted that she keep it for herself instead. Unfortunately, this time I couldn't talk my father out of throwing a party.

And so I was yet again getting ready for a big gala party with Aries expertly styling my hair into a bejeweled bun. When she'd finished, she turned my chair around and began to put on my makeup. She spent a lot of time under my eyes to hide the bags and when she'd finished, it looked like they were never there at all. I thanked her kindly and told her I didn't need any more help. She smiled and told me she was proud of me.

"You deserve all the happiness in the world." She said softly, before turning on her heel and scampering out the door. I stared after her with wide eyes, slightly taken aback, but I shook my head and smiled. I walked over to my wardrobe and pulled the long crimson gown off its hanger. I slipped it over my head and allowed the ends to pool at my feet before stepping into the silver heels my father had bought for me for this occasion.

The dress was satin and was much simpler than the green one I had worn all those months ago. The gown had a train and an open back, but other than that, there were no outstanding features. It was very different from the emerald gown I had worn all those months ago.

I shook my head, banishing old memories, and walked out of my room, smoothing out my dress as I walked. I reached the top of the stairs and everyone in the ballroom turned to look at me. I felt like I was exactly where I was when I walked down into Gray's arms on the day it all began. Like then, Gray was standing at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for me. However, this time he wasn't wearing a suit to match. His suit was black with gold rims and lining to match someone else in the room, who was standing on the side, smiling up at me.

Juvia and Gray had not only started dating, but she had practically moved in with him. Gray's parents retired and moved to their house in the mountains, leaving Gray's estate empty and barren. So, naturally, Gray invited Juvia to stay at the estate until she could figure out what she was going to do with her life. Needless to say, the temporary lodging had turned into a full-time arrangement with Juvia beginning to take some classes at the local community college. The other former slaves had taken turns residing in my mansion and Gray's alternately. I think they only wanted to live at Gray's because they wanted to spy on Juvia.

I walked down the stairs, trying my best not to trip on my dress. It was taking some getting-used-to to be able to walk nicely in heels against after so long, but I was managing. I reached the bottom and Gray took my hand, smiling warmly at me.

"You look beautiful as always." He said, kissing my knuckles. I smiled back and took his arm as he began to escort me into the main hall. "You don't have to do this, you know." He added. My smile widened as we began to walk to the front of the main hall, where my father was standing with some official men over a table with several documents strewn across it.

"Yes, I do." I said, patting Gray's arm. "It's time for a change. I never wanted this anyway, and you were born to do this. It's only fair."

"I feel like I'm taking it from you." I looked up at Gray's handsome face and shook my head, smiling slightly.

"Gray, we're practically family. If I wanted it back, you would give it back. This is just a technicality, stop looking into it so much." I insisted, tugging on his arm slightly. He sighed as we reached the table and my father acknowledged us.

"Are you ready?" He asked us. Gray looked at me and I nodded. My father smiled and was about to address the guests when he gave me a look and raised his eyebrows. "You don't have to do this." He said. I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

"I want to do this. I already made up my mind." I said firmly, leaving no room for doubt. My father sighed and nodded, stepping in front of Gray and me to address the guests.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please." The dozens of celebutantes and noblemen that had been invited, including the former slaves, walked into the room to watch the ceremony. I even saw Levy in the back with her father. She looked up and waved at me, giving me a thumbs up. I smiled at her as my father continued.

"I would like to thank you for attending the celebration of Gray Fullbuster's 20th birthday and my daughter's coming-of-age as well as she formally delivers her rights to the Heartfilia Corps over to Gray and his family." There was some light applause as Gray glanced at me, as if giving me one more out. I did not look at him. I had made my choice.

The two official lawyers gestured for us to come to the table and passed us two documents with the large line at the bottom where we both were supposed to sign.

"These two documents consist of the contract and agreement that Lucy Heartfilia is giving her rights to the Heartfilia Corps over to Gray Fullbuster. You each much sign both of them and the signing must occur with a witness, as it cannot be validated without the witness. We are here as witnesses as we will be recording the process as proof that this was consensual and legal. Do you understand?" I nodded as Gray followed suit.

Then the men handed us two fountain pens and stepped back. Gray looked up at me, as if asking for permission. I smirked at him and pulled the first document over to me, leaning down to sign my name on the dotted line. Gray did the same to his document and then we switched. While I was passing him my document, Gray's fingers brushed over my hand and I suddenly felt cold, as if his hands washed an avalanche over my body. I shivered, but continued to sign the next document.

The lawyers took the documents and nodded at us, making it official. I was no longer the heir to the Heartfilia Corps.

I found myself grinning as applause rang through the hall. Gray took my hand and led me back into the hall to shake hands with various noblemen, congratulating me and Gray, mostly Gray. I felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders as an involuntary smile crept its way onto my face.

From a young age, I'd always been trained to believe that I was going to be the head of my family's company. I never thought about a different future because it always seemed eminent that I'd end up taking my father's place. And then I realized how much I was dreading it. From the time spend negotiating with Gray and my father, I realized I wanted more with my life. My mother had married into this family, but she never considered herself a business woman. She let my father handle his business and she didn't interfere with his life. I didn't want to be a trophy wife, but I especially didn't want to be tied to the Heartfilia Corps for the rest of my life.

I supposed that was why it only seemed fitting that I give my claim over to Gray. He was like my brother and I knew I could trust him with anything. If it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have let go of the company. But Gray was born to do this. He was an expert negotiator and an all-around likeable person, so being a businessman was not at all difficult for him. I knew he'd be fine with merging two companies. And as much as he pretended he didn't want it, I knew he secretly was ecstatic to have both companies under his thumb.

I left Gray's side to walk over to Levy. She gave me a long hug and grinned at me.

"I'm so proud of you, baby!" she exclaimed, planting a kiss on my cheek. I laughed and kissed her back, so happy to finally see her. Levy had been spending most of her time at law school where she was training to become a defense attorney. Like Gray, she was a born negotiator and I knew she would be very happy with whatever she decided to do once she got her degree.

"So, do you have a plan for what you're going to do now?" She asked me as we walked over to the buffet table to grab some celebratory food and drink. I placed some sliced cantaloupe on my plate and shrugged slightly.

"I really haven't." I admitted. "I finished high school, so I guess maybe college. I think I'd probably go to med school eventually, but right now I just want to rest. You know, be one with nature a little bit. I want to stop worrying and stressing for a little while. Maybe I'll travel a bit, I don't know. Maybe next year I'll apply to college, but I'm not sure." We made our way back to the main hall where we took a place near the staircase to talk. Levy peered at me with curious eyes.

"You're not waiting, right?" I looked at her in surprise. The question had caught me by surprise.

"Waiting for what?" I asked obliviously. Levy raised her eyebrows at me.

"Not what, _who_. And you know exactly what I'm talking about." She gave me a knowing look and I felt a hot blush rise to my cheeks. I looked away and gulped, swallowing the bile in my throat. I didn't answer and Levy sighed sadly.

"Lucy, I know how hard this is for you, but you need to let him go. He's not going to be out for a long time and even when he does get out, this will follow him around forever. He's always going to be a burden. You need to focus on yourself and let the past go." Levy took my hand and squeezed, but I pulled my hand out of her grasp. I looked away and narrowed my eyes.

"I never said I was waiting for him." I said grimly. "I know we can't be together, even if he does get out. I just miss him." Levy's hand found mine again and this time, I didn't pull away.

"I know you do, baby. I miss them too." I felt like I wanted to scream. It was easy for her to say what she did because Gajeel was getting out any day now. She'd be with him and they'd be happy. I could never be with the one I wanted because he was trapped. He was trapped in a world he had never had any business being in the first place. I hated how unfair it was. I hated how unfair everything was.

"I'm going to find the others." I said tersely, pulling my hand away from Levy. I couldn't look at her without seeing the pity and the worry in her eyes. She was scared that I was going to waste my life waiting for him. They were all scared of that. But I wasn't an idiot. I knew how much this could ruin my life and I wasn't about to just drop everything to wait for him or to follow him. That wasn't who I was. Sure, I missed him tremendously. But I wasn't going I waste my life for him.

As I made my way to the other side of the main hall, I noticed the front door opening and a line of people walking in. I was confused because I was under the impression that all the guests had already arrived. Was someone late? As I peered over at the newcomers, I noticed that there were a lot of them and none of them were wearing anything formal. I tilted my head in confusion, still not really able to see their faces. Then I heard a shriek coming from a group of girls closest to the newcomers.

I looked over and saw that it was Kinana, Lisanna, and Mira who had shrieked. They stared wide-eyed at the newcomers, as if they were still trying to understand what was happening. My eyes narrowed and I made my way closer to the commotion as heads began to turn from the scream. I stopped dead in my tracks as I recognized them.

Gajeel's hair was unmistakable and Laxus' stature seemed much bigger than I'd remembered. They stood in the main hall, looking around at all the formally dressed people. My eyes traced down the line, searching and searching. But of course, I was let down. There was no familiar head of salmon hair and a rugged smirk anywhere in the line of advisors.

Gray made his way over to them and spoke to them in hushed whispers. He smiled at them and nodded, gesturing to the floor. They nodded in respect and stepped fully into the main hall. The response was almost instantaneous.

Lisanna literally jumped into Rogue's arms, hugging and kissing him on the cheeks. He almost fell over from the sudden assault, but he managed to stay upright. Mira walked up to Laxus and gave him a kind smile. He returned it with a glare, but she didn't back down. She hugged him tight and he ended up hugging her back, closing his eyes and breathing into her hair. Sting was the one to initiate contact with Yukino. He pulled her in for a hug and planted a huge kiss on her cheek, causing her to laugh. Cobra and Kinana gripped each other and placed their foreheads together, breathing and smiling together, reveling in each other's presence. I smiled at the reunions as most of the former slaves all released their respective boys to give Wendy hugs.

Gajeel looked around the room and when he found the thing he wanted, he smirked. He started in that direction and I turned to see Levy walking toward him as well. She was utterly beaming at the sight of him. As they approached each other, I could see the excitement rising and rising in her eyes. Finally, they stepped in front of each and smiled at each other, Gajeel smirking and Levy glowing.

"Hey shrimp." He said, winking at her. Her smile vanished instantly and her eyes turned from shining to molten.

"Are you serious?" She hissed, planting her hands on her hips. "We haven't seen each other in six months and all you can say is 'hey shrimp'? Really? Who the hell do you think you are?" She threw her arms up in exasperation. "I can't believe you right now. You are such an uncivilized Neanderthal with the brain the size of a pea. How can you be so insensitive? What is wrong with you?"

Gajeel stared at her with his mouth hanging open. He groaned and rubbed his nose as she began to scold him even further. Finally, he grabbed her waist and pulled her flush against his body, causing her to yelp.

"Shut up." He growled, before kissing her hard. Her shouts were drowned away and she wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into the kiss. Gajeel then picked her up and walked away with her, literally eating her face. I smiled at their reunion, feeling a pang of longing in my chest.

I turned away from the reunification and made my way to the back of the hall. I sat down at a table and pushed a fork around, thinking about each of the advisors and their slaves. They were all together now. And even though they might not be able to live a perfect life with a white picket fence, they were together and that was enough. I felt tears well up and lump form in my throat, but I pushed the sadness away. I was not going to that dark place yet. Not yet.

"Lucy?" I looked up to see Wendy standing in front of me. My eyes widened and I stood up suddenly, almost knocking the chair over. Wendy and I had never talked before, but I knew that she was kind. She was also my age and the only one who truly knew what I had gone through. She smiled kindly at me.

"How are you?" She asked. I swallowed and smoothed my dress out.

"Fine. How are you? I'm happy you're finally out." Wendy smiled and nodded in thanks.

"I'm doing alright. It's good to be out again. And I've gotten to see everyone again so that's good. How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing fine." I said again, trying to sound convincing. "It's been hard getting adjusted again, but I've managed." Wendy's smiled still hadn't faded and I noticed something in her eyes that had be pause for a second. It was a knowing glint, like she was hiding something exciting.

"You left the hall so quickly. You missed something." I tilted my head in confusion and Wendy pointed behind her. I looked over her shoulder and my heart almost stopped.

Gray was standing with Juvia talking to someone. I recognized him instantly. His hair was longer and the shade was slightly darker. He had stubble across his strong jaw, but the smile was still there. His eyes were still just as intense, and he was giving Gray the same look he had given me all those months ago. Tears welled up in my eyes as Natsu's head turned and he locked eyes with me. He grinned and started walking toward me.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. I wasn't ready. I wasn't prepared. How, _how_ was he here? How could he be here? Did it matter? My eyes searched for answers. He wasn't supposed to be out for another year at least. How could he be out now? I had to grab the chair behind me to keep me from falling over as he got closer. What was I supposed to do? What was I supposed to say? Was I supposed to hug him? Kiss him? Shake his hand? I stood rooted to the stop as Natsu finally reached me and grinned, winking.

"Hey buttercup." He said gruffly, and I almost passed out. Somehow, Wendy had sidled away and left me alone with him and even though I knew there were people around, it felt like I was entirely alone with the boy standing in front of me.

"How… how?" I managed to get the single word out of my mouth when he chuckled and licked his lips. My chest tightened at the gesture and I felt an overwhelming urge to kiss him right then.

"Well, I didn't break out, if that's what you think." I gulped and shook my head. "But I did have some help." His eyes flickered behind him and I looked at the same place, almost choking in surprise. My father was watching us with a smile on his face. My father had helped him. But why? I thought he hated him.

"Yeah, turns out your dad did some research and decided I wasn't such a bad cookie after all. Pretty cool, huh?" I turned my attention back to him and took a step back, banging with the table. Natsu noticed my discomfort and frowned slightly.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry if I surprised you." He said, ducking his head in shame. I shook my head and opened my mouth, trying to say something

"I-I can't… I don't…" I couldn't form a coherent sentence as Natsu rubbed the back of his neck.

"Lucy, I need to tell you something." He gulped, and I realized he was really nervous. It was almost laughable. Natsu? Nervous? The two words seemed so foreign together. "What I said back at the police station. I didn't mean it. I thought telling you to let us go would help. I thought it would help me let you go because I thought I was never going to see you again. But your testimony made me think that we weren't finished yet. I'm sorry for what I said. I never meant to hurt you. I was scared that I'd end up losing you in more ways than one."

His hand suddenly shot out and grabbed mine. I gasped at the sudden warmth and I realized how much I reveled in his heat. Gray had always been cold, even when we were together. It was his nature. But Natsu was warm. Natsu was always warm and I loved that.

"I was scared to fight for us." Natsu continued. "I didn't think I could win. But now I know that I won't even have a chance if I don't try. That's why I'm going to promise to you that I'm going to fight for us. I'm going to fight every day for us and I hope that one day, you can learn to trust that I'm telling the truth."

"I do trust you, Natsu." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I've always trusted you."

"But now, I'm going to be someone worthy of your trust. I'm going to fight for the right to deserve your trust and your love. I'm sorry it's taken so long, but I finally realized what I want. And this time I' not letting it go."

"And what is it that you want?"

He stepped closer so our nose were now almost touching. I breathed in his scent, his aura, his everything. I wanted to be closer and yet this was as close I ever wanted it to be. His hand touched my cheek and a spark of electricity ran from where his fingers made contact with my skin all the way down my body.

"You."

Then he kissed me, and I knew everything would be okay. With him by my side, everything would work out. We were going to fight together, forever. And there was no way in hell I was going to let him give up on us again.

 ** _And there you have it ladies and gentlemen, the end of Trust Me. It's been one heck of a ride, not gonna lie, and I got pretty emotional before posting this._** **_And i know you guys will have a lot of comments and questions. So before you do anything, I'm going to post an author's note right after this. So go read that, and then you can bombard me with all your questions. Love you people. Thanks for sticking with me!_**


	38. Final Author's Note

Final Author's Note:

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen and Welcome to the final Author's Note of _Trust Me_

It has been one heck of a ride with twists and turns and obstacles like no other. I decided that there are so many things that I want to say to all of you, and since this is the end, I have made this author's note to talk to all of you about this story, and new projects to come.

First and foremost, I want to formally thank each and every one of you for coming here and reading this story, whether you were an avid supporter, or just a quiet reader in the shadows.

As of today, May 8th 2016, this story has 76, 000 views and 340 favorites. This is an outrageous number that I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would achieve. All of your opinions mean so much to me and I can't help but wonder how it ever got to this point.

When I first started this story, it was on a whim. I never expected to complete this story in only 9 months. In my lifetime, I have completed three total books, this one being the third. This book is by far the one I am most proud of. In this book, I've explored themes of romance, of nature versus nurture, of survival, and I did it while incorporating my favorite anime of all time.

I especially loved this story because I got to get involved with all of you. Throughout this story, I tried to reply to as many of your reviews as I could. Sometimes, I started having a long conversation with you that made me feel like I was actually being recognized by people and not just machines. But after a while, it was hard to keep track of all the reviews, so I compromised and answered the reviews that asked specific questions, or said something really memorable. If I did not get to your review, I am sorry and just know that I appreciate whatever it is you said, I just was not able to get to it.

You know what happens to Natsu and Lucy in this story, but I want to give you guys and idea of _my_ journey through this. So, here are some fun facts about the story, the process of writing this story, and me. Enjoy!

Fun Fact #1: When I posted the first chapter of this story, I had a vague idea of what would happen, but this story was originally a short story of a few chapters, not a novel.

Fun Fact #2: Every time I posted a chapter, I already had the next one written, I just didn't post that one until I had the next one. It takes the pressure off writing quickly when I already had the next one written. It helps me flesh out and perfect every chapter because I review each one (unfortunately many errors go unnoticed so when I post it, sometimes the typos can get frustrating)

Fun Fact #3: Originally, Mard Geer, Kyoka, and Tempest were not in the story. I started writing this before the Tartarus arc and incorporated these characters after they came into existence.

Fun Fact #4: When I started this story, NaLu and GrUvia were my _least_ favorite ships in the Fairy Tail universe. In fact, I really hated them a lot. But, as many of you will be pleased to know, I have come to really like both ships. I don't know if it was because the show turned me on to them, or this book. All I know is that both couples have grown tolerable. I can root for them now. But JeRza is still my OTP no questions.

Fun Fact #5: My best thinking time for the story was in the shower and right before bed. I would think of scenes and act them out (yes, I would act them out). It easier for me to act out a scene while I'm thinking up new ideas.

Fun Fact #6: Like most writers, I try to have an outline of a story before I start writing. I write down key events that happen and use them as checkpoints. Each checkpoint doesn't have a certain number of words or chapters, I just write up to where I reach a checkpoint and then move on to the next.

Fun Fact #7: I had several stories fleshed out and written along with this one in my files but I never posted them because I don't like having several projects at once. Now that this book is finished, one of my stories will have to come out and play

Fun Fact #8: I have certain moods when it comes to writing. Sometimes, I get in the zone and other times I can't seem to get any ideas on paper. I may have a scene completely planned out in my head, but it's a whole other story to try to get it in the computer. For example, if I have an hour to write, I can either get ten pages done, or I end up just getting in half a page for that entire hour. I'm kind of bipolar like that.

Fun Fact #9: Originally, I never thought I was going to finish this story. There was a time when I was just going to take it down and create a new account for just reading, not posting. But that never happened, obviously.

Fun Fact #10: The only reason I am here today, typing in this computer, with a finished book posted on this site, is because of all of you. The fact that you are reading this right now means more to me than you will ever know. As I mentioned before, several times I thought about giving up on this story. But your reviews and kind words helped me keep going. So, from the bottom of my heart, _thank you_.

Regarding new projects:

There will NOT be a sequel to _Trust Me_

I've never liked the idea of sequels anyway. If I've ever thought of a sequel, it was because I couldn't fit it all in one book. _Trust Me_ will not have a sequel because I have no story thought up and even if I did have an idea, I would just be squeezing out the last bits of life left. It's better this way, in my opinion. But you are welcome to decide your own ending for Lucy and Natsu if you please.

Currently I have multiple ongoing projects in Fairy Tail and other animes. The one that I want to try and retake is my first Fairy Tail fiction: _Secrets Unleashed_. If you have read my profile, then you know that it was my first fiction about an OC and Gray. Of course my first fiction had to be about the hottest dude in the show (He's so hot that he has to strip all the time. Your argument is invalid) If you want to see what that's all about, feel free to check out the story on my page.

ALSO AS OF OCTOBER 2016, THERE IS A NEW STORY ON MY PROFILE CALLED _THE SCARLET KNIGHT_ , AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE JERZA FANIFCTION. IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD IF YOU CHECKED IT OUT.

Thanks again for everything, you've been the best readers I could ever ask for.

BoomChickaPop signing off :P


	39. UPDATE 42617

**UPDATE 4/26/17**

 **Hey Guys! Wow, It's been a while, huh? I can't believe it's almost been a year since I finished this thing.**

 **Anyway, I just wanted to come on here and give you guys an update! I was re-reading this story and I realized that there are a bunch of side-stories that I can write about here. I decided to start a little mini series of one-shots and short stories about the characters in Trust Me**

 **For example, I'll probably do a one shot of every major ship in the story, like Gruvia, GaLe, JeRza, and the others, you know… then I also thought about doing like a 5 years later kind of thing. I just feel like there are a bunch of little stories I can write along with this book.**

 **Let me know in the reviews if you think I should do it! Be sure to look for it in my profile in the near future!**

 **In all seriousness, I'm honestly considering this so it would be wonderful to know if you all would be excited to read it or not. Leave your ideas! Thank you all so much!**

 **Boom, signing off!**


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